


Charbitch Drabbles

by skeleton_twins



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Angst, Anniversary, Anxiety, Birdwatching, Drug Addiction, Dry Humping, Falling In Love, Father's Day, Fights, First Dates, Fluff and Angst, Frottage, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Insecurity, Jealousy, Learning Disabilities, Literal Sleeping Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Meeting the Parents, Moving In Together, Oral Sex, Pride, Reading, Reunions, Secret Relationship, Sleepy Cuddles, Stalking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-05-31 20:31:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 79
Words: 38,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15127280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeleton_twins/pseuds/skeleton_twins
Summary: a series of drabbles featuring charlie kelly and the scientist.





	1. Part One: Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> A few people have asked me to post some of my tumblr charbitch drabbles on here so here ya go. If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask

The next time Charlie sees the Scientist, he doesn’t recognize him. It’s actually the Scientist who spots him first in the cafe.

“Mr. Kelly…It’s good to see you again.” He pauses like he’s a bit unsure whether it is a  _good_ thing to see Charlie again as if he’s just being polite because that seems to be the kind of guy he was. He smiles lightly, cautiously.

It takes a while for Charlie to remember before the light bulb flickers on and he recognizes who the crisp British voice belongs to.  

He looks different. A lot different from the last time Charlie remembers seeing him, the dude wore a white lab coat with slicked-back hair, combed neatly and contained. Sleek.  _Classy_.

The lab coat’s gone, replaced with a shirt with cuffed sleeves, showing off pale but surprisingly well-defined arms. His hair is longer too, dark curls spilling over his forehead, unruly, and no longer slicked back.

Still classy, but Charlie thinks that might be due to his accent.

It takes a while for Charlie to find his own voice like his tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth like cheese trapped in glue, stuck in a rat trap. “It’s Charlie, dude, just Charlie.” 

The Scientist smile widens, something much more genuine and it leaves Charlie a bit dazed, “Ah yes, of course, Charlie. How are you?” 

Charlie’s still thinking about the run-in with the Scientist hours later, when Charlie’s lying in bed, restless, listening to Frank’s heavy snores beside him. 

He replays their conversation over in his head, again and again. Lost in memory of the Scientist’s laughter, but it wasn’t the cruel laughter Charlie had grown accustomed to over the years. It was warm and left Charlie’s ears ringing and his head fuzzy. Making the Scientist laugh almost felt like he was getting high. Maybe even better.

They talked longer than he expected them to. Much longer than the Scientist had planned because after awhile, he glances at his watch, frowning. 

“I have to run, but it was great seeing you, Charlie." 

The words were similar to what the Scientist had said the first time, but this time Charlie could tell he meant them. 

His heart stuttered. Charlie doesn’t know what possessed him to blurt out, "Maybe, uh, maybe we could do this again when you’re not busy?”

He regrets it as soon as he asked. He’s expecting the look. The one he gets most of the time he invites the gang out to the sewers or anywhere else they refuse to go because _“That’s disgusting, Charlie."_

But the Scientist smiles again, "I’d like that. See you soon, Charlie." 


	2. The Gang Finds Out About The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: When does the gang come around on the idea of Charlie and Scientist together?

For the longest time, Charlie keeps the Scientist a secret from the gang.

It’s not because he’s embarrassed by the Scientist or anything like that. It’s more because he doesn’t want to share him with the gang just yet. This thing between him and the Scientist is still new and it feels special. Something that’s just Charlie’s and Charlie’s alone. He just wants it to be him and the Scientist for a little while longer.

Until that is, the Scientist decides to surprise Charlie at work. He goes to Paddy’s with some sort of gift for Charlie. When he walks in, Charlie straight up panics and rushes over, places his hands on the Scientist’s chest, trying to backpedal him out of the door and the Scientist just laughs at Charlie’s antics, “Is this a bad time?”

“Yes!” Charlie shouts, and then promptly winces at the volume of his voice, before whispering, “The gang’s here.”

“Ah, I see.” The Scientist says like he knows, but Charlie doesn’t know how because he has never told him that he kept this thing between them a secret from the gang. Although Charlie wouldn’t be too surprised if the Scientist had figured it out on his own, because he’s smart like that.

“My apologies, Charlie, I didn’t mean to intrude, I wanted to bring you something.”

At that, Charlie pauses, noticing the wrapped box in the Scientist’s hands.

“You…You got me a gift?” Charlie says softly, a little in awe because he can’t remember the last time anyone has ever gotten him _anything_.

And the Scientist just smiles at him, “Of course.”

It’s then the gang comes out of the back office, when Charlie’s still trying to process the Scientist’s words, his hands still placed firmly on the Scientist’s chest, them halfway in the entrance of the bar.

It’s chaotic at first. Everyone’s talking all at once, shouting over each other. They would make a big deal at first, argue that the Scientist is going to change Charlie again, ruin their dynamic, but Charlie counters that he has been hanging out with the Scientist for a while now and things hadn’t changed which everyone settles down at that point, because he’s right, nothing has changed so far.

But honestly, it doesn't take long for them to accept it, they move on as soon as they grow bored by the new relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	3. Charlie Worries About The Scientist's Motives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does Scientist get Charlie to recognize that he's not just studying him and he genuinely really likes him?

Maybe at the very beginning of their relationship, when they just started hanging out together and was only friends at the point in time, Charlie doesn’t really care. He doesn’t mind if the Scientist is only friends with him so he could study him because Charlie’s having a lot of fun hanging out with the Scientist.

The Scientist doesn’t treat him like he’s dumb. He lets Charlie hang out around his lab. They do science together, _actual science experiments_ , and the Scientist doesn’t expect Charlie to clean up afterward unless they do it together, doesn’t make him do any Charlie Work at all.

It’s only when he realizes his feelings for the Scientist, that he starts to worry about the Scientist only being interested in studying him. That he’s just some lab rat, running around the Scientist’s maze for his amusement.

He’d probably try to get advice from the gang and of course, they come up with a plan to see what the Scientist’s true intentions are. Dee and Dennis end up arguing over who’s method would work better and Charlie slips away because he thinks their idea is kinda dumb anyways.

In the end, Charlie just asks the Scientist point blank, because he always told Charlie that he could ask him anything, that he would never laugh at any of his questions no matter how silly they might seem.

Charlie blushes at how the Scientist’s expression softens, how he takes Charlie’s hand and kisses it when he confesses his own feelings for Charlie.

“I do find you endlessly fascinating.” He admits, “Your brain, your ingenuity, all your idiosyncrasies. However, studying you without your knowledge and consent is highly unethical. I would never ever do so without your permission.”

The Scientist is cradling Charlie’s hand in his own at this point, brushing his thumb along Charlie’s knuckles. Charlie’s just staring at it, unable to tear his eyes away.

His heart quickens as he's listening to the Scientist talk.

“I promise there’s no ulterior motives, no study, no experiment I’m secretly conducting, I’m simply _very_ fond of you, Charlie.”

And Charlie believes him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	4. Charlie And The Scientist's Celebrates Their Anniversary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What would Charlie and Scientist do for their anniversary?

Their first anniversary is a bit of a disaster.

Charlie plans it weeks in advance because he wants it to be special. He wants the Scientist to know how much he cares about him. He has the whole day planned out, places for them to go and see that Charlie thinks the Scientist would enjoy.

Every place they go to something backfires or goes horribly wrong, either their reservation has vanished and refused entry to the restaurant or the place is closed and by the end of the day, Charlie is really upset and just sits down on the edge of the sidewalk with his head in his hands, because of course he screwed this up and now he’s worried that the Scientist will break up with him.

But the Scientist sighs quietly at Charlie before joining him on the sidewalk.

“I’m sorry.” Charlie’s words are muffled by his hands, but the Scientist can still hear him clearly enough. “Today was supposed to be special. I wanted it to be nice.”

The Scientist smiles fondly at him, “It was nice.”

Charlie perks up at that, spreading his fingers to peek out at the Scientist while still covering his face. “Really?”

“Of course it was, I got to spend the day with you.”

They end up going to Paddy’s, stealing some beer, (even though it takes some convincing the Scientist to do so and Charlie has to remind him that he owns the bar, it’s fine.) They sit up on the roof, let their legs dangle off the side of the building and just talk for hours. They watch the stars, sip the beers, lean against each other, tell each other stories. The Scientist teaches him about the stars, points out the constellations and Charlie listens wide-eyed, enrapt, and talks about his own theories on space and aliens or as he likes to call them “little green ghouls.”

The anniversaries to come are sometimes simple, like a quiet evening in with just the two of them or they go to Guigino’s. Sometimes they can be very elaborate like Charlie writes a musical for the Scientist one year or Charlie gives a special tour for the Scientist, visiting all the places that meant something to them, like the place they first met, the place they first kissed, the place where Charlie realized he was in love with the Scientist. The Scientist loves them all, but mostly he just loves spending it with Charlie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	5. The Scientist And Charlie Moves In Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How would Charlie and Scientist moving in together go?

Slowly.

It’s a gradual thing. Little bits and pieces of Charlie’s belongings start popping up in the Scientist apartment, like an extra toothbrush joining his one week (after the Scientist convinces Charlie to start brushing his teeth). Charlie’s grey hoodie can be found hanging up on the coat rack near the door or the new pair of slippers, sitting beside his own underneath the bed (the Scientist bought Charlie a pair after Charlie had seen his and eyes lit up and kept borrowing the Scientist, raving about how warm his toes are.) More and more of Charlie’s clothes start appearing in the Scientist’s closet over time. Charlie’s keyboard rests in the corner of the living room.

Eventually the Scientist notices, the extra items that aren’t his, he realizes how they fill the empty spaces, like puzzle pieces coming together. Before Charlie, his apartment was bare, lacking any personal touches. Walls unadorned with pictures, simply a bookcase, a cleared coffee table, and unoccupied spaces. A lot of empty spaces.

Charlie brings life into his apartment, leaves traces of his presence around the place, reminders that the Scientist isn’t alone anymore.

He does ask though, properly. The Scientist’s nervous, even though most of Charlie’s stuff is at his place anyways and Charlie’s constantly there, usually spending the nights on the weekend.

Charlie smiles when the Scientist offers him the extra key to the apartment, one just for Charlie. A full smile, revealing teeth and hints of laughter lines lost in scruff. The kind that causes his eyes to crinkle at the corners and makes the Scientist’s heart beat a little faster, a little louder in his chest at the sight of pure warmth radiating off of Charlie. It’s then he realizes there was no reason to be afraid after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	6. The Scientist Meets The Waitress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: what do you think would happen if the Scientist and Charlie went somewhere and ran into the Waitress and she got pissed at him for stalking her here (even though in this case it really is a coincidence) and that's how the Scientist finds out about that?

The thing about the Scientist is that he makes Charlie try to be a better person.

Charlie knows that he’s not a good person, but the Scientist is. He treats Charlie with the utmost respect and always is polite to strangers even if they’re being kinda rude. There’s a kindness to him, an empathy, selflessness that Charlie knows that he lacks.

But he tries, he strives to be the best version of himself while dating the Scientist. It’s a work in progress. Some things change, other things don’t.

The Scientist knows about the Waitress since it came up during the experiment, the one where they met. He knows that Charlie had deep feelings for her for years. He doesn’t know the exact nature of their relationship, he doesn’t know the history, he doesn’t know about the years of stalking.

So the Scientist is surprised to see her reacting so negatively to seeing Charlie and then he hears her shouting at him, accusing him of stalking and the Scientist just looks at Charlie and see his face, how uncomfortable he is and knows that it’s the truth. He’s a little upset. The Scientist manages to calm the Waitress down enough to explain the situation. That it was merely an accident. He apologies and quickly ushers Charlie along.

He doesn’t have to speak, Charlie knows that the Scientist is disappointed with him, he doesn’t say a word for a while, just waiting to hear Charlie’s side. So Charlie starts talking, tells him everything he’s done to the Waitress. Everything even though he doesn’t really want him to know, because he has no clue how the Scientist will react to hearing his past behaviors.

They have a long discussion, about the Waitress, about personal boundaries, but the Scientist can see how Charlie regrets his actions, realized now that his behavior towards the Waitress is completely unacceptable.

“I’m sorry,” Charlie says afterward, head ducked down.

“I’m not the person you should be apologizing to.” The Scientist tells him.

Later on, in the week, Charlie goes to apologize to the Waitress. The Scientist tags along, waiting outside for Charlie and when he reappeared, he’s a little sheepish, embarrassed but tells the Scientist how it went, how the Waitress is still a little wary of him but pleased that Charlie has moved on, even said that the Scientist is clearly a good influence for him. The Scientist smiles at that, very proud of Charlie for owning up to his past behavior so they end up going out for some ice cream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	7. The Scientist Takes A Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you tell me about Scientist working too hard and Charlie convincing him to stop and rest?

Before Charlie came into his life, the Scientist would work late hours, stay in the lab or his office even though he could’ve left hours ago. There’s nothing really waiting back for him at his apartment so he stays later and later until he passes out from exhaustion, falling asleep at his desk.

With Charlie, he learns that he can have a life outside of work. That there’s more to life than late nights in the lab, endless cups of coffee, burning and achy eyes from staring at his computer screen for too long.

So he starts spending less time at work, cutting back working overtime, starts coming home much earlier, because there’s someone waiting for him now.

There are still moments where he works too much. The times when there’s a pressing deadline or project that’s riddled with variables, finals that needed to be graded. It’s those instances where the Scientist slips back into his old habits.

He doesn’t hear the click of the door opening, too distracted by the screen in front of him, his brain still churning out ideas, possible improvements, drowning out any background noise.

It’s when he hears his name being uttered in a soft, raspy voice that the Scientist realizes he’s not alone in his office anymore. He twists to the side, spinning his chair and finds Charlie leaning against the doorway.

“You’re still working?” Charlie mumbles, rubbing at his closed eyes.

It’s a familiar sight, one that the Scientist should be used to by now, but it makes his heart stutter in rhythm every time. Charlie with his mussed hair, his holey black t-shirt with a pair of long thermal underwear, clinging to his legs, torn open on the back of one of his calves. He has pajamas that the Scientist had bought him, but Charlie was particularly partial to his old pair.

The Scientist nods, trying to focus once more on the glaring screen, but suddenly distracted by the way Charlie stretches his arms over his head, his stomach peeking out as his shirt lifts.

“You figured it out yet?” Charlie yawns, “That–uh–thing you said you had to fix?”

“Not yet, darling.” The Scientist stifles his own yawn, leaning back in his chair. He hadn’t realized just how tired he was, but he could feel it now. Exhaustion creeping up, making his eyes burn like someone had poured sand into them, even his bones feel heavy.

The Scientist lets out a soft _“oomph”_ when Charlie plops down into his lap. The chair dangerously squeaks under the extra weight, but Charlie settles against him, unconcerned, buries his face into the Scientist's shoulder.

“You will,” Charlie whispers against his neck. “You’re like the smartest dude I know.”

The Scientist smiles at that. He’s grown used to this, Charlie’s a lot more affectionate whenever he’s sleepy, clinging to him like an octopus. The Scientist takes the moment to rub his hand along Charlie’s leg.

“But do it tomorrow, m'kay? You need sleep.” Charlie leans back to look up at him with tired eyes. “You’re always telling me that the–uh– the brain is like a muscle, right? How you have to take a break otherwise it…Something about overworking it.”

“Well- yes I suppose, but–”

“No buts, dude.” Charlie climbs out of his lap with ease, legs uncurling, and jumping up, almost reminding the Scientist of a graceful cat’s landing.

He holds out his hand, beckoning with his fingers, “C’mon, you know I can’t sleep without you anyways.”

So the Scientist saves his work, quickly shuts off his laptop and lets Charlie drag him back to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	8. Charlie Meets The Scientist's Ex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How would it go if Charlie and the Scientist were out somewhere and ran into an ex of the Scientist? They'd probably be academic, too.

Neither of them had many past relationships. Charlie had the Waitress and the Scientist, well, he was too busy with work to get too involved with anyone. Some numbers exchanges, a few dates, but never developing much further than that.

Except for one person, who had managed to slip past the Scientist constructed walls. Someone who caught his eye at one of the conferences he had to attend. The Scientist was charmed by the man, a scientist like himself, but much more established, more successful, well known to most of the science community. The Scientist was surprised that the man even took an interest in him, flattered and wooed, they ended up dating for several months.

He never mentioned the relationship to Charlie. He should’ve, probably, eventually he might have, but his hand is forced when they literally run into his ex during a formal event. Charlie was surprised when the Scientist asked him to be his plus one. Charlie thought the Scientist would be embarrassed by him in front of his colleagues, but the Scientist assured him that Charlie would keep things interesting, that he’d rather be with Charlie the whole night than the whole lot of them. The room was loud, pretentious voices echoing, opinions and arguments flying back and forth. The Scientist doesn’t regret bringing Charlie, in fact, he keeps making the Scientist laugh doing poor impressions of the other guests.

He freezes, shoulders tensing when he spots his ex-boyfriend standing nearby, chatting away with who he recognizes is the Dean of the university, his boss.

“Who’s that?” Charlie asks, mouth full of food after pillaging through the food table, chewing on some cheese he found.

The Scientist swallows thickly, “An old partner.”

“Oh! Dude, you probably want to catch up then, right? Let’s go over to talk to him!” Charlie misunderstands his phrasing, thinking it to be an old colleague.

The Scientist tries to stop him, catches his arm, but before he can explain before he can get the words out: “No, I rather not.” It’s too late. His ex-boyfriend spots them, eyes meeting the Scientist’s and when he approaches, the Scientist can’t stop himself from flinching at his proximity.

Charlie notices, of course, he picks up on the tension right away. His eyes flicker back and forth between the two, quietly watching the conversation unfold.

It’s condescending, as the Scientist expects it to be. Sly and subtle insults wrapped in backhanded compliments. He listens, just as before, letting the man he thought he could love, shred his pride into pieces, rip his achievements apart until there’s nothing left but scraps. He doesn’t speak up to defend himself. It’s scary how easily it was to let this man he hasn’t seen in years tear him down again.

He squeezes Charlie’s arm when he sees Charlie open his mouth, ready to defend the Scientist wholeheartedly, but he snaps his mouth shut when he sees the Scientist shakes his head. It wasn’t worth it.

After a while, his ex-boyfriend grows bored and takes his leave. Charlie turns to him, eyebrows furrowed, “The guy’s a dick, you used to work with him?”

“Not exactly.” The Scientist says, “We…Well, we used to be involved, much like yourself and I.”

Charlie’s face hardens, lowering his voice, “Did he used to hurt you?”

The Scientist shakes his head, “Not in the way you’re thinking.”

They leave soon after that, returning home and the Scientist talks to Charlie, tells him about how his ex-boyfriend used to treat him and Charlie listens, doesn’t interrupt once. The Scientist can tell Charlie’s pissed, that given the chance he’d probably punch his ex if he ever sees him again.

Charlie spends the rest of the night reminding the Scientist of his worth. How much his life has improved since the Scientist has been in it. He reminds the Scientist how much he’s loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	9. Charlie and The Scientist Has A Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: what would a fight look like between charlie and scientist

Quiet.

Charlie’s a typically loud person. He screeches, shouts, his voice climbs octave by octave to impossible high ranges, but when he’s upset, _really_ upset, he goes quiet.

Their fights aren’t loud. It’s the silence that’s deafening though, because days that are usually filled with laughter or chatter is replaced with undisturbed silence, quiet that echoes back with disappointment and hurt.

These types of arguments are the worst because they’ll refuse to speak to one another for days, the Scientist stays longer at the lab while Charlie will hang around Paddy’s more.

By the end of the week, both of them are quietly suffering, drowning in loneliness, missing each other so much. It resolves with Charlie climbing back in bed one night and the Scientist wraps his arms around Charlie, pulling him closer. Charlie will bury his face in the Scientist’s chest, mumble out, “I’m sorry.” and the Scientist will apologize back.

Sometimes their fights can be loud. Charlie will scream and rarely, very rarely the Scientist will lose his temper and shout back. It’s uncommon though because the Scientist has an endless supply of patience when it comes to Charlie. Sometimes they’ll argue over some bigoted thing Charlie said. Sometimes the Scientist will accidentally hurt Charlie’s feelings.

They always make up though, either Charlie will do some romantic gesture like bringing flowers to the Scientist at work or he’ll serenade him with a song. The Scientist will hold Charlie’s hand, apologize for hurting his feelings. He always gets Charlie some kind of present, sometimes he’ll even create things from Charlie’s imagination, something that he had been rambling about wanting to invent and Charlie smiles so wide afterward and kiss the Scientist on the cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	10. Charlie Stalks The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Given Charlie's behavior with the waitress, do you think when he first gets feelings for Scientist he'd start some of the same behavior and scientist would need to talk to him about that?

It’s takes awhile for the Scientist to even realize, for him to catch up to Charlie’s behavior.

Because at first, it’s so unexpected, seeing that familiar green jacket and soft, messy brown hair makes his heart thump so loudly in his chest. He’s too distracted by the fact that _“Oh, Charlie’s here.”_ that the Scientist doesn’t even realize how odd it should be seeing Charlie on his way to work.

It becomes a more and more frequent thing, Charlie showing up out of the blue but the Scientist doesn’t really notice because seeing Charlie is usually the highlight of his day.

But then one day, it feels like he’s being watched. A pair of eyes on him, watching from the shadows and his heart’s racing the entire journey home. He drops his keys several times, hands trembling, trying to unlock his apartment when he sees a shadow move out of the corner of his eye and he screams, throwing the keys at the potential assailant.

He opens one of his eyes, peeking out when he hears a light chuckle.

“Dude, chill. It’s just me.” Charlie laughs, bending over to swiped up his keys, which pitifully wasn’t even _close_ to hitting the target. He’s glad though now that he knows it was just Charlie and not some mugger.

“No offense, but your aim totally sucks by the way. Maybe–we could–uh–work on that…I’m pretty good at throwing things. I could teach you if you want?”

“Oh, Charlie.” The Scientist breathes out in relief, clutching a hand at his chest. “I’ve never been so happy to see you.”

Charlie perks up at that, a faint pink blush tinged his cheeks. “Really?”

“Well, yes, of course. I thought you were a–” The Scientist cuts off because Charlie shouldn’t be here, not at his apartment. Not when he has never been here before.

He pauses, trying to choose his words correctly, “–Charlie, did you follow me home?”

“I might’ve?” Charlie squeaks, rubbing at the back of his neck, embarrassed. He holds out his palms, still holding his keys. “But don’t freak out, I can explain.”

The Scientist shifts uneasily, waiting for Charlie’s explanation.

“I’m not stalking you.” Charlie says when he sees the Scientist’s uncomfortable expression, he continues, “I just–Fuck dude,” He runs a hand through his hair, further disheveling it, “I just really like you, ok?”

“I really like you too, Charlie.” The Scientist admits, face softening at Charlie’s confession.

Charlie stops, eyes lighting up as he smiles, “You do?”

“Very much.” The Scientist nods. “But you can’t follow me around without my knowledge. That _is_ considered stalking.”

“Oh…”

“May I have my keys back?” The Scientist asks after a few minutes of awkward silence and Charlie makes a surprised noise like he forgotten he still had the keys. He trudges closer, dropping the keys into the Scientist’s palm.

“I’m sorry.” Charlie whispers, head ducked and shoulders stooped, almost as if his spirit has been completely stomped out like a flame from a burning candle.

“It’s alright, Charlie, just be sure not to do it again. Besides if you want to see me, you can simply call me.”

They exchange numbers, make promises of seeing each other soon, the Scientist even leans forward, kissing Charlie on the cheek before saying goodnight. It takes a while for Charlie to move away from the closed door, stunned, touching his cheek with a wide grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	11. Charlie And The Scientist Goes On A Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does Charlie and Scientist's first date go?

Adventurous.

Charlie suggests they go to Guigino’s for dinner because of 1. That’s literally the only restaurant in Philly it would seem. 2. They have great spaghetti there, and 3. It’s a real classy place and for a classy dude like the Scientist, he deserves the best.

It goes smoothly except for the tiny fact that Charlie and the gang are still banned from Guigino’s.

Charlie spends the evening dodging the Waiter that usually serves him and the gang, the one that definitely hated them and could recognize him and throw them out. He keeps a watchful eye out, glancing around the restaurant while trying to listen to the Scientist talk.

The Scientist notices, of course, especially when Charlie pushes his fork off the table, not even trying to be subtle and says, “Whoops, better get that.” and crawls under the table, hidden under the tablecloth. It’s perfect timing, the Waiter just arrives at their table, asking the Scientist how he’s enjoying the meal.

As soon as the Waiter leaves, the Scientist ducks down, lifting the tablecloth to see Charlie sitting on his knees, fork in hand.

“I got it,” Charlie says matter-of-factly, holding up the fork. “It’s _crazy_ down here, dude, thought I would never find it.”

“Mhmm, right, of course.” The Scientist stifles a laugh before pushing his chair back and joining Charlie under the table. It’s a tight squeeze, the Scientist has to pull his knees to his chest in order for them to both fit.

“Charlie, why are you hiding?”

The truth spills, pouring out of Charlie in a fast, hushed ramble. How he’s actually banned from the restaurant but apparently this wasn’t his fault, how the Waiter just has a personal vendetta against Charlie cause frankly, Charlie doesn’t even remember the guy. The Scientist knows that he’s stretching the truth but he laughs because Charlie risked taking him to a restaurant he could get kicked out just because he wanted the Scientist to have a good date with him.

They do end up getting kicked out, but the Scientist doesn’t mind in the slightest, laughing as soon as they’re escorted out of the door because what a rush that had been!

Charlie somehow convinces the Scientist to take him to the lab, even though they definitely shouldn’t be there, not after hours. They sneak through the halls, the Scientist leading Charlie to the lab, holding his hand and they’re both stifling giggles. The Scientist feels his heart pounding like a teenager sneaking out of the house for the first time.

Charlie asks the Scientist to blow something up and the Scientist tries to dissuade him because he’s not _that_ kind of scientist, but he remembers watching enough Bill Nye do some science tricks.

Charlie watches in amazement at the simple chemical reactions, tells him, “I think you might be a wizard.”

“Nonsense, Charlie, it’s just science.”

Afterward, they play with the rats, letting them out of the cage and feeding them cheese. It takes a while for Charlie to get used to them, but soon enough he’s holding them, letting them run up his arms, laughing. They end up falling asleep, leaning back against the table, Charlie’s head resting on the Scientist’s shoulder.

In the morning, they both have to sneak out, but it was worth it. They both had a great time, and it was eye-opening for the Scientist because he has never broken any rules before. It was kinda like an adventure for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	12. Charlie Meets The Scientist's Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does Charlie meeting the Scientist's friends go?

Charlie doesn’t even realize the Scientist is asking him to meet his friends when he first brings up the subject of having a few guests over.

“Oh. And you want me out of the apartment for a few hours, alright.” Charlie shrugs like he’s used to this sort of thing and starts making his way towards the door.

“No–No–Charlie, wait a moment.” The Scientist tugs him gently, pulling him back onto the couch. “I don’t want you to leave. I want you to meet them.”

Charlie looks at him like he’s grown three heads. “Really?” He asks, skeptical. “Why?”

The Scientist just stares at him, mouth gaped. How could Charlie not realize how much he meant to the Scientist by now?

“Because you’re important to me and I want my friends to meet you.”

“Yeah…” Charlie scratches at his beard, “I don’t know. I’ll probably just screw it up. I mean, I bet your friends are like _really_ smart and I’m like the–like the weirdest guy in the universe. You sure you want me hanging around?”

“Of course, I do. They were actually the ones who brought it up.” The Scientist blushes faintly when he explains why “They wanted to meet the person who made me much happier these last few months.”

It’s enough for Charlie to go along with it, but he’s nervous. Terrified of saying the wrong thing, sounding dumb, embarrassing the Scientist in front of his friends. He sweats through two shirts and has to change twice.

Charlie distracts himself with cooking dinner, (he’s surprisingly really talented at cooking) and when the Scientist’s friends arrive, he stays quiet mostly. Barely speaking because he’s too anxious. When he does speak, he stutters, swiping his palms across his jeans. The Scientist’s friends are actually nice, which shouldn’t really surprise Charlie, they’re British and polite just like the Scientist.

The Scientist can tell how nervous Charlie is so he slips his hand under the table, fingers brushing against Charlie’s, interlocking their hands and it calms Charlie down. He relaxes when he sees the Scientist’s encouraging smile and starts talking more.

In the end, it goes really well and Charlie has a good time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	13. The Scientist Confronts Frank

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What happens when Scientist comes to pick Charlie up for a date and he's not ready yet but Frank is there?

The Scientist tries to be cordial, he really does, but Frank despises him with a passion.

“Hello, Mr. Reynolds.” He greets when he enters Paddy’s. Charlie’s nowhere in sight and Frank’s standing behind the bar, grumbling.

The Scientist peers around, clearing his throat, “Uh–Where’s Charlie?”

He flinches when Frank slams his hand down against the bar counter, splitting a peanut shell wide open, before tossing the nut into his mouth, all the while still regarding the Scientist with narrowed eyes.

“Not ready yet.”

“Ah, I’ll–I’ll just wait here then.” The Scientist sits at one of the bar stools. He’s bouncing his leg, nervous about being alone with Charlie’s father longer than necessary.

Frank snorts. “Relax, will ya? I ain’t gonna do nothing. You look like you’re about to piss yourself.”

“R-Right, my apologies.”

“Save the apologies. I don’t want them and I sure don’t need them.” Frank just rolls his eyes. “Listen, I don’t like you and I don’t trust what you’re doing with Charlie.” He points an accusing stubby finger at the Scientist.

“Mr. Reynolds, if I may, I’m sorry for what I did to Charlie. That experiment was unnecessarily cruel to Charlie and there’s not a day where I don’t regret my actions.”

“But…” The Scientist swallows, gaining his confidence, “Charlie is a grown man, free to make his own decisions with who he wishes to spend his time with and as long as that person is me–Well, I’m going to spend as much time with him as long as I can. Charlie is the most important person in my life and you don’t have to accept it, but I refuse to be intimidated by you into stopping my relationship with Charlie.”

Frank eyes him thoughtfully, a little impressed that the Scientist actually stood up for himself. He shrugs, “Alright.”

At first, the Scientist is surprised at how easily Frank accepts it, expecting the man to become angry at his outburst, but then he’s quickly relieved, exhaling, not realizing he had been holding his breath.

It’s not long before Charlie appears from the back office. His mouth stretches into a wide grin when he spots the Scientist.

Charlie glances at Frank for a second, trying to read the room’s vibe but when he doesn’t notice any tension, he turns back to the Scientist, “Ready to go?”

The Scientist nods, grateful to leave the bar. His burst of confidence can only last for so long.

It’s when they leave, Charlie asks him if Frank gave him any trouble.

The Scientist shakes his head, realizing that this is probably the closest they’ll come to a truce. “None at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	14. Charlie And The Scientist Celebrates Father's Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Charlie's never had a father so he's used to it but he clearly always wanted to know and now that he kind of does he still doesn't really and Frank'd never be into Father's Day anyway. How do he and Scientist spend the day instead (I figure if Scientist's dad is around and doesn't suck he lives in England)

The Scientist is actually surprised to see Charlie still home on Father’s Day.

The Scientist is in the process of setting up Skype, sitting on the couch, laptop perched on the coffee table. He does this every year since he’s moved to America, video-chatting his father on Father’s Day who still resides in England.

Charlie walks right out of the bedroom, still in his pajamas and joins him. The Scientist pauses, hand hovering over the mousepad, looking over at Charlie curiously. He would have thought that given how close Charlie was with Frank, they would’ve had the whole day planned with schemes or even a trip to the sewers. (Charlie tried to kiss the Scientist once after returning but the Scientist scrambled backward and just wordlessly pointed to the bathroom, shaking his head. He saw Charlie chuckle lightly while he was passing the Scientist down the hall, so the Scientist is certain Charlie was doing it on purpose just to see him react.)

“Charlie,” The Scientist starts slowly, unsure how to broach the subject.

Charlie makes a noise of acknowledgment but doesn’t speak. Sometimes Charlie goes quiet and the Scientist will have to coax the words out of Charlie, other times he knows when he keeps silent, doesn’t try to get Charlie to discuss whatever it is bothering him, instead just lets Charlie lay his head in the Scientist’s lap, letting the Scientist run his fingers through Charlie’s hair.

This time, however, he can tell Charlie wanted to talk, wanted to be comforted. The fidgeting, soft sighs through barely parted lips, fingernails scratching at a loose strand of fabric from his pajamas.

“Any plans with Frank today?”

Charlie slumps even further down the couch. He shakes his head. The Scientist waits for a few seconds, letting the silence saturate the room until Charlie huffs and crosses his arms over his chest and it all comes pouring out.

How Frank avoids Charlie like the plague on Father’s Day. How Charlie doesn’t know the actual truth about his real father, how Frank still pretends they’re not related, and how he just wants a confirmation. That’s it.

Sometimes Charlie reflects on how much improved his life would’ve been if he had a father around growing up. He knows it’s not what it’s cracked up to be, having a dad. Mac’s dad tried to kill them and even when Frank was Dennis and Dee’s dad, he was kinda really shitty towards them. Still, he wonders if it would be the piece to glue his fracturing family if his mother would be more stable if his father would’ve protected him from Uncle Jack. The only problem in that version of life, Charlie is unsure whether or not he would have met the Scientist, but he thinks that he would’ve no matter what, that maybe Charlie would’ve been less weird, and probably a better boyfriend for the Scientist, more normal.

“I don’t know how your life would’ve changed, Charlie. I can only speak to what I know for certain and I don’t want a different version of you. I like you very much exactly how you are.”

The honesty flusters Charlie, he ducks his head down, hiding his pink stained face, quietly whispers, “Oh.”

It’s then when the Scientist’s laptop chirps, alerting that his father was video-calling him. He glances over at Charlie warmly, “Would you like to meet my father?”

The Scientist’s father is kind, pretty much a carbon copy of the Scientist, except for a few more wrinkles and thinning grey hair. His voice is a touch deeper than the Scientist too, but still a crisp British accent. He makes Charlie laugh with his funny phrasing and the Scientist’s father thinks Charlie’s a bit strange, but if he makes his son happy then he doesn’t mind a little eccentricity.

It becomes a new tradition for Father’s Day, Charlie joining the Scientist when he video-chat his father. Pretty soon, he becomes the father Charlie never had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	15. Charlie Survives An Abortion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does it go when Charlie finally tells Scientist about how he survived an abortion?

Charlie mentions it so casually and offhand that the Scientist has to double take, asking Charlie to repeat himself, thinking surely he heard that wrong, but Charlie just smiles sheepishly, “Oh yeah, have I never mention that before?”

He definitely hasn’t.

Charlie pretends like it doesn’t really bother him, but the Scientist notices it clearly does. How Charlie glances at him from the corner of his eye, waiting as if he’s expecting some kind of reaction. The Scientist doesn’t react, keeping a blank expression. He’s slightly horrified about the circumstances Charlie discovers this piece of information, but he tries not to reveal this.

Charlie nervously chews his fingernails, “You probably think I’m pretty weird, huh?”

The Scientist suddenly understands Charlie’s fidgeting, his nervous tics, he’s worried about how the Scientist will think, how this will affect how he views Charlie.

He honestly shouldn’t though. This doesn’t make Charlie strange, in fact, the Scientist is quite in awe of Charlie because he does have a lot of trauma and endured so much and he’s managed to live through it. Sure, he had his unhealthy coping mechanisms, but he has gotten clean and getting better.

The Scientist shakes his head, “Not at all. I think you’re wonderful, Charlie.”

Charlie flushes bright red when the Scientist tilts Charlie’s chin up with a finger, smiling at him, “You’re quite the survivor, aren’t you?”

The Scientist reminds Charlie of just how proud he is of Charlie, of the progress he has made despite all the struggle he has faced in life and kisses Charlie softly on the forehead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	16. Charlie Deals With The Scientist's Anxiety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Do you think Charlie ever notices when Scientist is nervous about not messing up the relationship because he likes Charlie so much?

Eventually.

It takes time though for Charlie to recognize the Scientist’s anxious behavior. The way he wrings his hands, how he’ll bounce one of his legs, the stuttering.

At the start, the Scientist is terrified of ruining their relationship. He’s pretty much head over heels about Charlie and he’s scared of overwhelming Charlie with the intensity of his feelings. He’d be super careful about being overly affectionate, never initiating touching, especially since he knows Charlie’s not particularly fond of touching.

And Charlie notices. He notices how the Scientist would reach out as if he was about to take Charlie’s hand but pulls away the last minute, return his hand back to his lap, fingers clenching like he’s restraining himself.

They both blushed when Charlie grabs the Scientist’s hand and blurts out, “You can touch me, you know.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah,” Charlie averts his eyes, “I like–I don’t mind it. I like hearing you talk too when you talk about me. You say words–nice words and it makes me feel…warm.”

After that, the Scientist slowly starts touching Charlie more often, holding his hand, caressing Charlie’s cheek, kissing his forehead. He talks about his feelings for Charlie more frequently. He becomes less nervous about being openly affectionate with Charlie and Charlie loves it, loves how the Scientist says things that no one has ever told him before, how he makes Charlie feel really special.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	17. The Scientist and Charlie Falls In Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: When do Charlie and the Scientist first realize they're in love?

It’s early in the relationship for the Scientist.

He doesn’t say “I love you.” to Charlie the first time he realizes he’s in love with Charlie. He keeps it to himself because he’s too afraid of scaring off Charlie, surprised himself because how early it is, they’ve only been dating for a few months so instead he repeats it over and over in his head. Thinks the words he’s too afraid to say just yet.

The first time the Scientist thought the words were while they were coming home from a date. They exited the coffee shop and realized it had begun to rain. They hadn’t been expecting this downpour and didn’t bring any umbrellas with them. Charlie had stopped the Scientist from going any further from the sidewalk before he could step out into the rain.

“Wait.” Charlie shrugs out of his green jacket before standing on his tiptoes to cover the Scientist’s head with it. “Use this.”

“But what about you, Charlie?”

He shrugs again, “I don’t mind getting wet.”

It was then the Scientist realized how much he loves Charlie, like the sun peeking through thick clouds, piercing the grey with a yellow warmth. Everything was so clear at that moment, how in love the Scientist was. How he loved Charlie’s thoughtfulness, his smile, his uniqueness, the soft raspy chuckles, the way he sings, his voice, his eyes. He can’t stop thinking about it. How could he have not realized sooner?

The whole way home the Scientist kept thinking the words, _“I love you. I love you. I love you.”_ Staring fondly at the back of Charlie’s head as Charlie held his hand, leading him down the streets to ensure that he’d avoid stepping into the puddles.

There are more moments that have the Scientist repeating the words in his head like a mantra. It happens when the Scientist is greeted by Charlie’s smiles first thing in the morning, during movie nights when the Scientist picks a documentary and Charlie’s watching intently, or when he offers to fix the Scientist’s broken equipment, or when he’s playing his keyboard and loudly singing.

Charlie realizes he’s in love with the Scientist much later on after the Scientist has already told Charlie he loved him. It happens when the Scientist is tending to one of Charlie’s injuries. He’s sitting on the toilet lid, wearing his jean shorts while the Scientist’s is kneeling in front of him, dabbing gently with a washcloth at Charlie’s exposed bloody knee. He’s listening as Charlie explains what latest scheme had backfired with the gang, humming at the right places.

Charlie goes quiet for a moment when the Scientist looks up at him, warning him, “This is going to sting.”

It’s then Charlie realizes that no one treats him the way the Scientist does. No one takes care of him like this, no one wants to. The Scientist does, always ensuring that Charlie’s safe. He cares so much about Charlie. Charlie doesn’t even feel a sting, too distracted staring at the Scientist’s face, at the grimace, at the frown. The Scientist doesn’t like the idea of Charlie hurting, of Charlie being in any pain whatsoever even if it’s just a small amount

It’s then Charlie knows he’ll always be safe with the Scientist.

He blurts it out, “I think I love you.”

The Scientist drops the bandage in his hand, glancing up at Charlie, startled at his unexpected confession, then the shock quickly drains away, replaced with a wide smile, that kind that always makes Charlie a touch breathless. He beams at Charlie, “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	18. The Scientist Defends Charlie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How about someone being mean to Charlie or making him feel stupid and the Scientist comes to his defense like a boss?

Charlie gets it everywhere.

Everywhere he goes people are either sending him looks, looking down upon him or treating him like he’s an idiot, laughing cruelly at something he said, calling him names: idiot, dumbass, stupid.

Most of the time Charlie shrugs it off because he’s heard it all before. There are times though where he’s more self-conscious of his appearance, biting his tongue to avoid saying something dumb. It’s usually when he’s hanging with the Scientist at the university.

When it’s just them alone, Charlie loves it, but the Scientist is a busy and important man (even though the Scientist laughed loudly when Charlie mentioned this, “No, I’m most certainly am not.” But he’s definitely important to Charlie even if the Scientist doesn’t know.) so often times people will come into his office or the lab asking questions, clarifications with projects, etc, etc.

Charlie had been sitting on the edge of the Scientist’s desk right beside the Scientist when a student walked in. The Scientist was busy with a huge amount of papers, Charlie couldn’t make out what they exactly said, but there were a bunch of tiny red marks all over the page. He tuned out most of their conversation, fiddling with something from the Scientist’s desk, turning it over and over in his hands, back and forth.

He interrupts the Scientist when he hears a word he doesn’t quite understand, leaning closer to the Scientist to ask what it meant. He tries to whisper the question but he must not have been as quiet as he thought because the student laughs.

It stops the Scientist cold. Charlie’s used to this, he really is, the laughter, but it stings a bit more now. Charlie doesn’t want the Scientist to be associated with an idiot, doesn’t want people to start giving the Scientist looks and laughing at him too just because he’s involved with someone who’s not smart, someone like Charlie.

“What is so amusing?” The Scientist turns to the student, calmly asks but Charlie can hear the anger in it, the way his the Scientist moves his jaw. The student sputters but the Scientist continues on, doesn’t give them a chance to respond.

“This is a learning environment. There are no such things as dumb questions. Just because you know the answer, just because you think someone else should doesn’t justify you mocking them for _not_ knowing. It’s a cruel, terrible thing. From my experience, it hinders the person’s education, stunting their growth, leaving them too afraid of being laughed at from asking again, from learning.”

The student turns bright red when the Scientist hand over their graded test, “Perhaps, you should spend more time studying and asking questions of your own than mocking others for not knowing as much as you think you do.”

The student nods, stutter out an apology to Charlie and quickly hightail it out of the office.

Charlie’s staring at the Scientist wide-eyed, in awe, because no one has ever come to his defense before. The Scientist turns his chair, facing Charlie while shaking his head.

“Charlie, I’m sorry you had to–”

But Charlie quickly cuts him off, pressing a chaste, gentle kiss against the Scientist’s lips. The Scientist makes a noise of surprise, quickly shutting his eyes and curling a hand around Charlie’s neck.

When Charlie pulls away, the Scientist stares back at him, a bit dazed, his eyes unfocused. “What was that for?”

“You–You defended me. Thank you.”

The Scientist just takes Charlie’s hand in his, tells him he’ll always defend Charlie when it comes to this because he doesn’t want Charlie to stop asking questions, to be afraid of learning more. He wants Charlie to feel safe and loved and not worry about sounding dumb. He reminds Charlie that he can ask the Scientist anything, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	19. The Scientist Meets Charlie's Mom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does The Scientist meeting Bonnie go down?

It goes decent enough, albeit strange. Bonnie is generally a soft-spoken, somewhat sweet little old lady. She welcomes the Scientist warmly and he can clearly see that Bonnie adores Charlie, but the Scientist does hold some reservations about her especially after hearing about Charlie’s childhood.

The Scientist is slightly fascinated by her, about her OCD, her strange quirks, in a way it reminds him of Charlie, but Charlie gets embarrassed within the first ten minutes of arriving. The Scientist finds it cute, Charlie getting red-faced, exasperated by his mother, but he can tell Charlie cares about her too.

Charlie leans over halfway through the visit and apologizes to the Scientist after Bonnie leaves the kitchen to fetch some photos of Charlie in his youth.

The Scientist just smiles at him, “It’s fine. Your mother seems nice.”

“She’s  _too_ nice.” 

Overall it goes well, better than expected. The Scientist gets to see cute pictures of Charlie when he was a kid, gets to see his childhood bedroom, hear the less traumatic stories of his youth. He comforts Charlie when he gets too embarrassed when they’re alone in Charlie’s old bedroom, hiding his face against the Scientist’s chest and the Scientist just laughs at how cute he is, rubbing his hands along Charlie’s spine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	20. Charlie Smiles At The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: You know there have been times when the Scientist is talking to Charlie and Charlie just beams at him and he just completely loses his train of thought because he loves Charlie's smile so much.

The Scientist is _enchanted_ with Charlie’s smile.

He loves the way it morphs his entire face, how his eyes will crinkle at the corners, but most of all he adores Charlie’s laughter lines, the way they curve around his mouth, his cheeks.

The first time he saw Charlie smile at him like that, the Scientist fumbles with his words. He’s so distracted that he doesn’t even remember what he had been talking about, just softly uttering, “ _Oh_ …”

Charlie, of course, worries at his response, the abrupt silence between them. The slight downward twist of Charlie's lips is enough for the Scientist to focus once more.

“I like your smile.” That’s all the words he’s capable of at that moment and Charlie breaks into another smile, something softer, a little bashful under the Scientist’s gaze.

Sometimes the Scientist can’t help but reach out when Charlie’s smiling, cupping his face with his hand. He’ll trace the laugh lines he’s so infatuated with, running the pad of his thumb over them, smoothing them over before leaning forward and kissing the corner of Charlie’s mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	21. The Scientist Helps Charlie Get Clean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does the Scientist help Charlie getting off inhalants go?

It’s a rough, long, _long_ process.

Charlie has been huffing glue every day for years. He breathes in these dangerous toxic materials hoping to get high enough to forget his stress, the unwanted memories, the bad stuff.

The Scientist knows it won’t be easy, he doesn’t expect it to, but Charlie’s brain is so unique and so beautiful, he doesn’t want to see it damaged any further than it already has been from Charlie’s unhealthy habits. He doesn’t want to force Charlie into this, he wants it to be Charlie’s decision to give up inhalants, he doesn’t want Charlie to resent him in the long-run.

Charlie comes to that decision pretty quickly after a bad episode where he showed up to the Scientist’s apartment high out of his mind, knocking loudly on the door. He sways when the door opens, falling against the Scientist.

“Whoa–Charlie?” The Scientist tries to pull away enough to see Charlie’s face, “Are you alright?” It’s then he notices the silver paint on Charlie’s nose, the barely open eyes.

The Scientist ushers him inside and spends the rest of the night taking care of him. Charlie can barely look at the Scientist come morning when the high is gone, he remembers enough, the hazy memories of his actions from the night before and he’s ashamed of himself, ashamed that the Scientist had to witness that side of him.

The Scientist brings up the discussion of how inhalants are dangerous and harmful after he brings Charlie a glass of water and cooks him breakfast. Charlie listens, quiet, still not meeting the Scientist’s eyes.

Charlie just nods, before whispering, “I think I wanna get clean.”

So the Scientist helps him. They talk options if rehab should be considered but Charlie just wants to do it here with the Scientist. So the Scientist removes any temptation from his home, Charlie’s apartment, and even Paddy’s. Charlie spends the first two weeks with the Scientist. Detox is a nightmare but they get through it together, the Scientist helping Charlie anyway he can.

Sometimes he relapses and starts again, but the Scientist is always there helping Charlie through it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	22. Charlie Learns Proper Hygiene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: So at some point while dating Scientist Charlie starts showering and brushing his teeth, right? Please tell me he does!

Charlie probably starts showering and brushing his teeth before they even start dating. It’s one of the few changes Charlie does early on before Charlie realizes his feelings for the Scientist. That his racing heart and being breathless wasn’t a prelude to an awaiting heart attack (He even questions Dee about how she felt when she had her heart attack and he learns that it’s probably not a heart attack if it only happens when a certain scientist is present.)

The Scientist encourages Charlie pretty early in their friendship the importance of hygiene even if it’s boring and tedious. It’s important especially in Charlie’s line of work. It’s safer for Charlie to maintain some degree of cleanliness after doing “Charlie Work”.

Charlie doesn’t get it, but he follows along because the Scientist is a smart dude, he clearly knows what he’s talking about. The Scientist makes it a little fun for Charlie, he makes sure to get pleasant tasting toothpaste and mouthwash, (even though the first time Charlie rinsed out his mouth, he ended up throwing it back like a shot and swallowing it much to the Scientist’s horror.)

He learns that he’s not a fan of showers, but baths? Charlie really enjoys baths especially bubble baths. The Scientist even gets Charlie some Bath Bombs. Charlie is entranced by those, the way the colors swirl around him, he could stare at it for hours.

Later on, after they start dating after Charlie moves in, it becomes a little routine for them. The Scientist and Charlie will brush their teeth together in the mornings, standing a few feet apart in the bathroom, wearing their slippers and the Scientist in his soft, plush robe. The Scientist always glances over at Charlie’s reflection in the mirror next to his own mirror. He smiles when he finds Charlie already looking back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	23. The Scientist Learns About Bird Law

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Curious what you would think about what the Scientist would say when Charlie starts going on and on about Bird Law.

The Scientist finds it utterly endearing.

The short-sleeved yellow shirt, the glasses hooked on a chain, resting on the tip of his nose. Even the short unappealing tie is cute because it’s _Charlie_. No one should be able to pull off such a combination, such a look, but Charlie can. His passion and enthusiasm for this fictional practice of law are contagious and even though he goes on long-winded speeches about Bird Law and his expertise, the Scientist can’t help but find it winsome.

He’s extremely impressed though when Charlie tells him about the Bird Law case he tried in an actual courtroom. The story is insane and almost unbelievable, but that tends to be the case with most of Charlie’s tales when he’s with the Gang.

“That’s–That’s absolutely incredible, Charlie!” The Scientist is a little speechless and in awe, “With that kind of brilliant thinking, you would make a fine lawyer.”

Charlie pauses, “Wait–You really think so?”

“I do. You were right all along. It was the family’s bird.” The Scientist nods, genuinely impressed with Charlie. Sure, in the end, things got a little carried away with Charlie trying to speak with the bird and the other lawyer ended up injured, but overall Charlie had been successful proving his point.

The Scientist encourages Charlie to learn more about it. He purchases books for Charlie, ones about Animal Law, and birds and helps him read it if it’s too difficult for Charlie to read alone. They watch documentaries about birds together and the Scientist even helps Charlie do some more research, they learn about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and all kinds of facts about birds that Charlie finds fascinating.

Charlie likes how patient the Scientist is with him. He likes how the Scientist will read to him during the evenings, even if Bird Law isn’t totally the Scientist’s thing, he does it for Charlie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	24. Charlie And The Scientist And Charlie's Hair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Charlie has like the best hair. Do you think Scientist is into it, too?

Early in their relationship, before they even started dating and back when the Scientist thought his crush on Charlie was one-sided, he had to restrain himself from reaching out and tucking Charlie hair back in place. The desire to just reach out, to sink his fingers through Charlie’s locks was tempting.

He slipped up once, gave in to the urge.

His hand reached out before the Scientist even realized what he was doing and he watched as Charlie froze, eyes trained on the Scientist before his gaze followed the Scientist’s hand, eyebrows raising, confused as the Scientist brush several strands of hair that had toppled onto Charlie’s forehead aside and away from his face.

The Scientist’s face warms and he snaps his hand back down to his side, apologizing immediately. “S-Sorry, I–You had a piece–Some hair–I was…I was just trying to get the hair out of your eyes.”

Charlie stared at him curiously, before he just smiled, “Oh, thanks, dude!”

Later on, when they start dating, the Scientist doesn’t need an excuse to touch Charlie’s hair anymore. Charlie, as it turns out, loves when the Scientist fiddles with his hair. He’ll lay his head on the Scientist’s lap while they’re sitting together on the couch and the Scientist will run his fingers through, scratching lightly at Charlie’s scalp and Charlie almost falls asleep every single time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	25. Uncle Jack Dies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How do Charlie and Scientist react when Uncle Jack finally drops dead?

Charlie cries. Right after he receives the news from his mother, right after he flips his burner phone shut. Right after he turns to the Scientist with wide eyes, right after the Scientist asks Charlie what’s wrong, after Charlie smiles so wide, it aches.

“He’s dead.” Charlie breathes out like he still can’t believe it. “He’s gone. He can’t hurt me anymore.”

It’s then Charlie bursts out into tears. The Scientist’s quick to cross the room, to wrap Charlie in his arms and hold him close. Charlie shakes in his arms, sobbing, fat thick tears streaming down his face.

But it’s afterward after the tears have dried after Charlie’s eyes are puffy and red-rimmed. After he falls asleep cuddling next to the Scientist. It’s then that the Scientist worries.

It not that he particularly cared for Uncle Jack. Truth be told, he rather loathed the man completely. No, he was just worried about Charlie and Charlie only.

It’s something Charlie has never discussed what Uncle Jack did to him before, something he has never told the Gang, they suspect though Charlie has never confirmed anything. Actually, it takes a long, long time before Charlie even tells the Scientist about it.

It’s not really something Charlie deals with, something he pushes down and tries to forget. His death might force Charlie to as if ripping off a band-aid that’s been covering the shattered glass. The dam that had been built to hold everything in for most of his life might start to splinter and a flood of bad memories come rushing to the surface.

He only worries that this news will bring back painful memories for Charlie. He worries what nightmare it could bring, the night terrors that Charlie still to this day struggled with.

It doesn’t help that Charlie has to sit through and listen to his mother sobs over a man who has traumatized Charlie and destroyed his childhood, but the Scientist is right by his side through it all, holding his hand and when it gets too much, Charlie will squeeze his hand. The Scientist always squeezes right back, to let Charlie know he’s isn’t alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	26. Charlie Asks Out The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Scientist and Charlie: who asks who out?

Back when they were just friends, the Scientist would invite Charlie everywhere, any place he thought Charlie might enjoy.

They _weren’t_ dates, even if the Scientist desperately wishes them to be, but they had been enough for him because he got to see Charlie and spend time with him even though he wanted so badly to hold Charlie’s hand. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship by asking Charlie out. He simply couldn’t risk it.

In the end, it’s Charlie who initiates, asked the question that had been burning on the tip of the Scientist’s tongue for weeks.

That evening, the Scientist didn’t have any plans when Charlie had slid inside his car, settling against the passenger seat, looking over before asking, “So where are we going?”

So the Scientist just simply asked, “Where would you like to go?”

They end up at some abandoned parking lot. One of Charlie’s old haunts, someplace he would go back in his youth, just to get away from everything for a little while.

They sit on the hood of the Scientist’s car as Charlie reminisced with the Scientist, knees brought to his chest, arms wrapped around his knees. The Scientist was laying beside him, propped up by his elbows, long legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles. The Scientist, in exchange, told Charlie stories of his own youth. The lonely summers, how he would do the exact same thing, only in his backyard to stare at the night sky.

It was, by far, not the most romantic setting, but there was something there, something that felt far more intimate than their other outings, just lingering in the atmosphere. The Scientist could feel it, maybe it was because this was the first time they’ve shared stories like this, allowed themselves to be more vulnerable in front of each other.

The Scientist’s breath catches in his throat when Charlie lay down beside him. His arms that supported him, collapsing beneath him, and he follows Charlie’s suit, laying down as well. His heart jumps at Charlie’s proximity, at Charlie scooting closer until his arm brush against the Scientist’s skin.

Charlie turns his head, squinting at the Scientist and the Scientist wonders if he could see him blushing. It was getting dark, the moon was bright enough to see their surroundings, but it took longer for the eye to accommodate to the darkness, to the shadows.

“Hey.”

It was so soft and the Scientist knows he’ll never forget Charlie’s voice that night. The low rasp, just skirting above a whisper, it’s the softest he has ever sounded.

The Scientist forces himself not to look away, he’s not sure he could even if he wanted to. He couldn’t identify Charlie’s expression. Curiosity mixed with _something_.

“So–Is this like–Is this like a date or something?” Charlie adverts his eyes as soon as the question’s out in the air, straightening his head so he could stare at the stars instead.

The Scientist carefully considers his response, swallowing, Adam's apple jumping, “Would–Would you like it to be?”

Charlie doesn’t answer long enough for the Scientist to internally kick himself for asking, he regrets his words, wishing he could reverse time and respond differently.

But then finally Charlie nods, so minute that the Scientist almost doesn’t catch the movement.

“Yeah, kinda.”

The Scientist is smiling so wide it aches, especially when he feels Charlie’s finger twitch against his hand like he’s seeking permission. He caves easily, taking Charlie hand in his own, intertwining their fingers.

The following week, they have a proper first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	27. Charlie and The Scientist Goes To An Art Museum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Can you tell me about Scientist being insecure about his looks and Charlie reassuring him because he thinks Scientist is extremely handsome?

Charlie finds the Scientist _very_ handsome.

The Scientist doesn’t seem to be aware of this fact. Doesn’t seem to know how breathless Charlie gets when he smiles. How cute the Scientist is when he blushes (sometimes Charlie will do things on purpose just to see the Scientist blush like doing his Butt Dance for the Scientist who laughs loudly and the tips of his ears will turn pink.) How long Charlie spends thinking about the Scientist throughout the day when he’s at Paddy’s.

The Scientist always shakes his head at Charlie when he does give the Scientist a compliment. The Scientist always listens to Charlie, no matter what weird thing he’s saying, but any time Charlie mentions his appearance the Scientist just get a sad look and shakes his head like he can’t believe it.

He tries not to make the Scientist uncomfortable (Something he learns when they discussed personal boundaries before.) so he tries not to be too obvious with his comments, subtly sneaking them in and quickly changing the subject before the Scientist can object. Sometimes Charlie writes songs about the Scientist, sing them when he’s playing his keyboard in the middle of the living room. The Scientist will turn bright red when Charlie starts singing about his eyes.

In a way, he gets it. He really does, because he doesn’t understand why the Scientist likes him, why he calls Charlie handsome frequently or stare at him adoringly even when he’s covered head to toe in filth after doing Charlie Work all day. But he doesn’t want the Scientist to feel that way, he doesn’t want him to question why would Charlie find him attractive especially since the Scientist is beautiful and the kindest person Charlie knows.

It’s during one of their dates, a trip to an art museum, that Charlie makes the connection. Charlie’s having trouble tearing his eyes away from the Scientist long enough to actually look at the art.

The Scientist's hair was curly and loose, he hadn’t slicked back his hair that morning, usually only doing that when he goes to work. Soft brown eyes behind circular glasses, staring straight ahead, flitting over the painting. Chiseled cheekbones that beg the question whether they’ve been carved by some God. A flash of a pink tongue slipping out, peeking between his teeth as he tilts his head. His angular jaw works, shifting slightly as he pursed his lips in thought.

It clicks into place for Charlie.

“Dude, you belong here.”

The Scientist looks away from the painting, eyebrows lifting, “Pardon?”

“You belong here.” Charlie reiterates, gesturing towards the Scientist. “In–In an art museum. You’re–You’re like a painting or one of those statues we saw earlier.”

The Scientist pinkens, getting flustered, “Oh, Charlie–”

But Charlie interrupts him because he needs the Scientist to know, he wants him to know just how handsome Charlie thinks he is. So he tells him how much he looks like a work of art even though the Scientist turns redder by the second.

“Yeah–You’re gorgeous, dude.” And this time, the Scientist doesn’t shake his head, he’s just blushing, staring at Charlie oddly. But Charlie can tell that the Scientist knows he meant what he was saying, that he believes Charlie.

“T-Thank you, Charlie.” The Scientist squeezes Charlie’s hand.

Charlie just nods, pleased that the Scientist finally gets it now. They start moving again, looking at more paintings when an idea hits Charlie, “Hey, can I paint you when we go home.”

The Scientist’s face flushes again as he ducks his head. “If you must.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	28. Charlie Spends The Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does Scientist inviting Charlie to spend the night for the first time go?

Awkward.

At least for Charlie, but the awkwardness doesn’t come until they’re getting ready for bed.

The Scientist wasn’t even nervous when he offered, usually, something like this would make him anxious. It had been on the back of his mind the entire evening, but when the time came, he wasn’t nervous at all.

It was really late, long past midnight and they were still up, watching some horror movie on the sofa, popcorn bowl resting on both their legs. The Scientist was pretty tired, eyes starting to droop and close halfway, which was probably why it was so easy for him to ask.

“Would you like to spend the night here?”

Something flutters in Charlie’s chest, his stomach tightening because staying here did sound really, _really_ nice. He could tell that the Scientist was nearly asleep and he didn’t want to force him to drive him back home this late. The Scientist would do it in a heartbeat though, probably get some coffee first to wake himself up enough, but if Charlie had declined the Scientist’s offer, he respects Charlie enough to get him home safe, that he wouldn’t be mad at all.

But Charlie really wanted to stay. He nods, chewing on his lower lip and butterflies exploded in his stomach when the Scientist sleepily smiles at him.

“Come along then,” The Scientist holds out his hand, after placing the popcorn bowl on the coffee table. He clicks off the television as the past and heads down the hallway towards the Scientist’s room.

Charlie swallows as they entered, it’s not the first time he has seen the Scientist’s room, he has seen a glimpse of it through a crack door before when the Scientist had poked his head out talking to him once, but it _was_ the first time he has stepped inside it.

The Scientist pulls out some clothes from a dresser, what appeared to be pajamas and handed a pair to Charlie. “They might be a little big on you, but I thought you’d be more comfortable in them than what you’re wearing.”

Charlie starts to get nervous when he’s changing in the bathroom, because he has never really spent the night at someone’s place he really likes before, not since he used to sneak over to Mac’s, but that had been different, he was a kid and Mac wasn’t the Scientist, wasn’t his boyfriend. He doesn’t really know what’s expected of him tonight. Would they just sleep? Or…Or was the Scientist expecting something else, something more?

He fumbles with the buttons of the sleep shirt. Who even wear buttons on pajamas? Classy people do. The Scientist was right, the clothes were too long for him but they were really soft. Charlie couldn’t stop rubbing the material between his fingertips as he returned back to the Scientist’s bedroom.

The Scientist is already in bed, sitting with one of his legs crossed underneath him while the other dangled off the bed, just waiting for Charlie. He’s dressed in similar looking pajamas too, only violet instead of scarlet.

_“Oh, Charlie.”_ The Scientist smiles at him and Charlie glances down at himself and sees that his buttons are all done wrong. “C’mere.”

Charlie inches forward until he’s right in front of the Scientist, “Do you mind if I fix them?”

Charlie shakes his head, so the Scientist undoes a button before fixing it, moving onto the next. He’s quick and drops his hands once he’s done.

Charlie can’t stop thinking once he climbs into bed beside the Scientist, getting under the covers. He keeps running his palms over the blanket, over and over again and the Scientist notices even if he’s half asleep, asks Charlie if there’s something wrong.

There’s nothing really wrong because Charlie wants to be here. He wants to share the bed, share the same space as the Scientist, be close to him just like this where they fall asleep together and wake up together in the morning. It would be nice. But he’s just doesn’t know what follows next, what’s he’s supposed to do.

He blurts out, “I–I don’t–Are–Are we just sleeping or…?“

“Oh!” The Scientist’s face turns completely pink, stuttering out that his only intention was to sleep and if Charlie is any way uncomfortable then the Scientist can still take him home but Charlie just shakes his head, so relieved that he could almost cry.

In the morning, Charlie wakes up curled up against the Scientist. He smiles into the Scientist’s chest, feeling the soft material against his face.

“Good morning.” The Scientist greets when he awakes soon after, placing a light kiss on the top of Charlie’s head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	29. Charlie And Life's Little Luxuries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I loved the detail about Charlie loving the way Scientist’s slippers kept his toes warm - are there any other, taken-for-granted-simple-little-luxuries like that that the Scientist discovers Charlie adores and leads to the Scientist making sure Charlie has every seemingly simple pleasure he pulls ever want?

Compared to Charlie’s apartment, the Scientist’s apartment is palace full of wonderful  _gems_. 

It’s really just basic things, but Charlie loves it, like the clean towels, so soft when he dries off from stepping out of the tub, he loves scrubbing his hair dry, sometimes the Scientist will offer to do it for him. Taking baths becomes one of Charlie’s favorite things to do, especially when the Scientist will wash his hair for him, feeling the water running over his head, the careful touches of the Scientist’s hand slipping over his hair, covering his eyes. Charlie lives for those moments. 

He also discovers his love for doing laundry. The Scientist finds it charming if not slightly amusing but Charlie loves the routine, loves folding clothes, sticking his face into one of the Scientist’s shirts after it comes out, fresh and clean and  _warm_ from the dryer.

But mainly it’s the quiet mornings. The ones after Charlie learns how to properly read. Charlie loves reading, he’s fond of the Scientist reading for him when his eyes are hurting too much, but there’s nothing better than those quiet mornings, curled up next to the window, sunlight pouring in, book in his hands. He’ll sit there most of the mornings on the weekends or when he’s not working, reading quietly to himself. He starts stealing the Scientist’s cardigan, it’s too long for him but it’s warm and smells like the Scientist so he’ll wear it in the chilly mornings and read for hours. The Scientist just smiles the first time he sees Charlie and then buys Charlie a bunch of books to read so he doesn’t run out books to read. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	30. The Scientist Meets Schmitty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How about Charlie and the Scientist run into Schmitty and Charlie is worried Scientist will like him better just like his friends did?

There’s always this fear lingering in the back of Charlie’s mind that the Scientist is going to leave him one day.

He doesn’t understand how the Scientist could be with him, especially since Charlie isn’t as smart as the Scientist. Sometimes he wonders if the Scientist had hit his head previously, sometime after the experiment when they first met and damaged his brain enough for him to want to date Charlie.

But then, Charlie reasons that can’t be true since the Scientist still _is_ really smart, he’d probably wouldn’t be as smart as he was if he had hurt his brain.

Nonetheless, it’s still something that worries Charlie, that weighs on his mind at the beginning. So when they run into Schmitty when they’re out shopping, Charlie feels that dread in the pit of his stomach, because this is it. The Scientist will see how much better Schmitty is just like the Gang did and would leave him.

He could picture it. Schmitty saying something clever and the Scientist would just leap into his arms, falling in love with him instantly and run away with Schmitty and Charlie would never get to see the Scientist again.

He was so busy lost in his thoughts, frowning, that he didn’t realize that Schmitty had approached them.

The Scientist nudges him lightly with his elbow, “Charlie, are you alright? I think this man knows you.”

They talk for awhile much to Charlie’s dismay. He tries to say the right things, to sound smart but when Schmitty says something that makes the Scientist laughs, he suddenly doesn’t feel like talking anymore.

Afterward, when Schmitty leaves, the Scientist could tell something was wrong, how quiet Charlie got and he pauses, lightly touches Charlie’s arm to get his attention.

“Charlie, what’s wrong?”

Charlie mumbles for a bit, before he finally speaks in a small voice, “You probably like him now, huh? Everyone loves Schmitty.”

“Not particularly, no.”

Charlie’s confused at that response because the Gang ditched Charlie in a heartbeat after Schmitty returned. The Scientist just stares at him with his head cocked to the side, curiously and somewhat amused, waiting patiently for Charlie to explain himself.

“So…You wouldn’t–You wouldn’t like to _date_ him or anything?” Charlie finally asks, picking at some sticker on some fruit in the basket the Scientist is holding close to him, avoiding looking at the Scientist.

“Why on earth would I? I’m dating _you_.”

It’s the way he says it. The certainty of his tone as if the Scientist couldn’t imagine dating anyone else but Charlie, as if he doesn’t want to date anyone else but Charlie. It makes Charlie realize that, Oh, he must really like me.

The Scientist just smiles at him, a little confused at Charlie’s reaction about Schmitty, but when Charlie’s hand knocks against the Scientist, the Scientist beams, eagerly holding Charlie’s hand back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	31. Charlie Learns How To Read

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What about Charlie being very nervous and asking Scientist if he thinks he'll be able to learn how to read better?

Charlie learning how to read is a process because it doesn’t always go smoothly despite Charlie’s enthusiasm to learn.

Those days are the most frustrating for Charlie because no matter how much he tries, he just doesn’t get it. The letters are swarming together in his vision and he simply just can’t get it right no matter how hard he tries. The Scientist is always patient with him though, gently correcting him when he mispronounces a word.

But sometimes Charlie feels like he’s stuck in this limbo like he’s never gonna get better, never gonna get smarter, never gonna be able to properly read, not with the ease that the Scientist can. He likes listening to the Scientist read, likes hearing him say words with his accent, his soft voice, but on those rough days he just wants to be able to sound like him, to read a sentence without struggling, without stopping every five seconds to figure out what a word is.

It’s one of those days when Charlie screeches a frustrated noise before dropping his head against the Scientist’s kitchen table, cushioning the blow with his arms. He huffs, blowing out some air, annoyed at himself after struggling so long with a sentence.

The Scientist wants to reach out, almost does, sliding his fingertips across the table, he hovers, wanting to run his fingers through Charlie’s hair, to comfort him but he resists the urge. It takes a minute before the Scientist finds the courage to place his hand onto Charlie’s hand.

He speaks softly, “Charlie.”

Charlie doesn’t jolt when the Scientist touches him, but he does peek out from under his arms, tilting his head to the side so he can peer up at the Scientist, using his arm as a pillow. He glances at the Scientist’s hand, watching as he absently runs his thumb over Charlie’s knuckles.

Charlie finds that he likes the sensation, the warmth spreading across his hand, back and forth. It almost distracts him, makes him forget about his earlier reading struggles.

He props his chin onto one of his forearms so he can stare at the Scientist easier. “Do you think that-that I’ll actually be able to do this like…Like read proper and shit like do–do you think I’m ever gonna get better at reading and writing and just–?” He waves vaguely at the air, not finishing his sentence.

“It won’t be easy and it will take some time, but I do believe that you are very much capable of learning how to read better. You’re already improving, Charlie, every day.”

And the more Charlie thinks about it, the more he realizes that the Scientist is right. He has learned a lot since the Scientist started teaching him, he has made some progress, so he believes the Scientist when he says that he’ll get better and as long as the Scientist’s right there with him, then he probably will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	32. Charlie's Little Habits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Do any of Charlie’s little habits rub off on the Scientist?

It’s the little things.

Charlie has his little quirks about him, like how he’ll give nicknames to the Scientist colleagues (almost like how he used to call the Scientist, “Science Bitch.”) and the Scientist really tries, he really does, not to call them by Charlie’s names, but sometimes it’ll slip out and he’ll get the weirdest stares.

Other times, he’ll catch himself writing the way Charlie writes, (since he’s the only one who can properly read Charlie’s writing and often will leave notes around the apartment for Charlie when he was still learning to read) he turns bright red when he has to erase what he’s written on reports and important documents. 

Charlie sings a lot and his songs are  _really_ catchy. Sometimes the Scientist will get them stuck in his head and absently will start humming them throughout the day at work. The one time Charlie hears him humming one of his songs, Charlie grins, shouts, “You’re singing my song!” and quickly kisses his cheek.

The Scientist’s cravings even alter just a bit, like how he’ll find himself craving more cheese since Charlie has been around or even how much he enjoys the “Grilled Charlie”. He’s absolutely horrified when he’s watching Charlie show him the process, but he humors Charlie in trying it, just for Charlie’s sake, only for Charlie. They’re both surprised when the Scientist lets out a small groan, his eyes fluttering shut after taking the first bite. He hadn’t expected to actually enjoy it, in fact, it should be disgusting, but the Scientist absolutely  _loves_ it. Charlie attempts to get him to try milksteak once, but that was where the Scientist draws the line. Even if Charlie pouted rather cutely and said, “C’mon dude, you might like it! You really like the Grilled Charlie!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	33. The Scientist And Charlie Gets Engaged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Charbitch: who pops the question and how?

The Scientist is the first one to considered marriage.

After a couple years of dating, it’s a question that lingered in the back of the Scientist’s mind. He’d wake up with it as the first thought of his day and last thought before he goes to sleep with Charlie in his arms. He wants to get married to Charlie, he thinks about it constantly, them getting married, being husbands. But he doesn’t ask Charlie’s opinion about marriage. He knew that apparently Charlie had been married before with Frank (however strange it may seem) so the Scientist could assume that Charlie had no qualms about marriage, but would Charlie want to get married to him? The Scientist hopes so, but he was perfectly ok with continuing the way things were, just them being together. They don’t need to change anything, he doesn’t want to disrupt their system, their routine, because it  _works_. 

The Scientist weighs the pros and cons, tallying them up mentally while he brushes his teeth in the morning. Pro: there were many benefits to getting married, legally speaking. Con: Charlie might refuse his offer and it will destroy their relationship and the Scientist will be alone again. He frowned at his negative thinking, the dramatic leaped to pessimism but then he catches Charlie’s eye who is also brushing his teeth, but he stops and smiles softly at the Scientist, mouth filled with toothpaste. It shouldn’t be  _that_ adorable, but it’s then at that moment the Scientist feels all his negativity draining away, because why is he nervous? Charlie’s the love of his life and he wants to marry him.

The Scientist comes up with this elaborate experiment (because he’s a huge romantic nerd). They go to the lab, their lab, the one where they first met and the Scientist ask Charlie a series of questions, each correct answer he’s rewarded cheese, each wrong answer he has the risk of getting shocked, just like from their first encounter, how Charlie kept getting shocked, trying to get the certain cheese. But there’s absolutely no chance of Charlie getting shocked this time, because the questions are tailored made for him, questions about them, about their relationship. Charlie catches on pretty quickly and smiles fondly at each question asked, happily chewing on the cubes of cheese offered to him after every right answer he gives. Until finally, the last question the Scientist ask for Charlie’s hand in marriage and Charlie just stares at him wide-eyed when the Scientist starts to kneel in front of him. 

They both get a little choked up when the Scientist starts listing everything he loves about Charlie and how there could never be anyone else he wants to be with. Charlie nods shyly and buries his face in the Scientist’s chest after the Scientist slips the ring onto Charlie’s finger. The Scientist kisses the top of Charlie’s head when he feels Charlie smiling against his neck, not being able to stop grinning for a long time.

Charlie would propose by producing another musical. He works very hard on it, writing about the story of how they fell in love and at the very end, he proposes to the Scientist. The Scientist had really enjoyed the show even if some of the lyrics were questionable and had him blushing when he realized Charlie singing about  _him._ He was completely shocked when Charlie asked for his hand, and immediately answers yes and laughing when Charlie pulls him on stage and kissed him in front of the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	34. Charlie And The Scientist Plays Nightcrawlers (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hi, so, I know I'm a thirsty bitch and it's been like two seconds since you posted this, but I saw your tags about maybe posting nsfw hcs for charbitch if someone asked, so ... I'm asking. I love your hcs and I'd love to hear your more nsfw thoughts, but only if you're comfortable doing so of course!

Sex with Charlie is something they don’t rush into. It’s something that takes time to develop, to discover what they enjoyed and didn’t enjoy, what’s the most pleasurable for Charlie.

But the first time they were intimate was a complete accident. Something unexpected and just sort of just happens. It’s during a game of nightcrawlers, which the Scientist will totally indulge Charlie playing because the Scientist is head over heels for Charlie and will pretty much do anything Charlie asks (within reason, of course.)

Charlie ends up overtaking the Scientist, straddling and pinning him to the floor of their apartment, blanket starting to slip from his shoulders, laughing, “Dude if I was an actual worm, you would’ve been eaten.”

The Scientist just smiles back, tilting his head, “Do worms consume other worms?" 

Charlie just shrugs, before shifting his weight slightly, causing his hips to brush against the Scientist’s, and they both pause, freezing completely.

Neither one moves an inch until Charlie breathes out, ” _Oh_.“ before moving his hips again, curiously because he likes the sensation, the friction. 

The Scientist just groans, grabbing Charlie’s hips in a light grip, trying to pause his movements. "Charlie–You don’t–This isn’t necessary– _Ohhhh_ -”

The Scientist is unable to finish his sentence, breaking off in a moan when Charlie’s hips buck up against him again.

Charlie wants to hear that sound again so he keeps moving his hips, watching how flushed the Scientist’s face is getting. After a while, he can feel heat curling low in his belly so he picks up his speed, thrusting against the Scientist’s hips faster, grinding down on the Scientist. 

Charlie can feel how hard the Scientist is getting as he keeps humping him, watching him bite down on his lower lip, his eyes fluttering shut as his grip tightens on Charlie’s hips.

They’re both panting loud, heavy breathing filling the room. Charlie is encouraged by the Scientist’s little noises, the soft moans that echos in his ears. It leaves Charlie aching, his erection pressing hard against his jeans, against the tight confinement, but Charlie is too lost in arousal, how good it feels as the Scientist’s fingers digs into his hips, guiding them. The Scientist even starts bucking up against Charlie, pressing their erections together.

“Oh– _Fuck_ …Oh–Charlie–” It’s when the Scientist curses, panting out his name that has Charlie spilling over, thrusting hard once, twice, three times and it doesn’t take long for the Scientist to follow, crying out before coming, still completely clothed.

Afterward, Charlie ends up collapsing on top of the Scientist. They’re both breathing heavy, Charlie exhaling soft puffs of air against the Scientist’s neck, tickling, making him shiver as they both try to calm their breathing down, their hearts pounding erratically, pulse racing. 

The Scientist kisses the top of Charlie’s head lightly, his hands running down along Charlie’s spine.

“Can we do that again?” Charlie asks shyly, not looking up at the Scientist, keeping his head tucked under his chin, mouthing over the Scientist’s throat.

“Anytime you want.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	35. Charlie And The Scientist Tries Something New (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: hey,,, erica,,,,,,,,, take one for the team and do another nsfw hc

“I want to try something, Charlie.” The Scientist whispers against Charlie’s mouth. They’re been laying together in bed, just kissing so far, but Charlie was already starting to get hard from rubbing up against the Scientist’s leg. 

Charlie’s only a little nervous. He always is when they try something new but the Scientist is smiling slightly, a soft look in his eyes, something kind and it makes Charlie relax, reassures him. He likes trying things with the Scientist, because the moment Charlie’s not getting any pleasure from it, the Scientist stops and won’t push him into anything he doesn’t want to do.

“I think you might enjoy it,  _however_ , if you don’t then we’ll stop immediately and try something else if you want.” 

Charlie nods and the Scientist smiles again, before leaning forward and kissing Charlie quickly before pulling away to grab something from the drawer. 

Charlie gets a little distracted as the Scientist reaches into the drawer of the nightstand beside the bed, balancing on his knees and one hand gripping the top of the nightstand. Charlie watches as the Scientist’s muscles pull, rippling across his back as he digs around the drawer, searching for something. His gaze drops lower, eyes falling to the Scientist’s ass, still clothed in tight black boxers. 

Charlie’s face flushes a little, embarrassed at himself.

The Scientist turns around after shouting a little, “Aha!” apparently finding whatever he was looking for. He holds a medium size bottle in his hand, it looks pretty familiar to him, something Charlie recognized. They’ve used it before.  _Lube_ , Charlie remembers the Scientist calling it that.

The Scientist looks up at him, “Remember, any time you want to stop, just let me know alright?” 

“Alright.”

“Good.” The way the Scientist says it makes Charlie shiver. He likes when he sounds like that, his tone so approving, makes Charlie feel warm inside. 

The Scientist lays back against the bed and Charlie feels his breath catches when the Scientist never looks away, “Charlie, could you remove my boxers, please?” 

Charlie swallows, nodding, before tugging the Scientist’s boxers down his pale legs. His heart’s pounding loudly in his ears as he sees the Scientist’s cock slip free from the confinement, fully aroused and flushed against his stomach. 

“Holy–Holy shit, you’re–you’re so hard already, dude.” Charlie couldn’t help but reach out, fingertips barely grazing the Scientist’s cock, traveling over into the tangle of dark hair, causing the Scientist’s hips to jerk upwards.

“Can you be– _Ah_ – be good for me, Charlie? Can you pour that–” The Scientist’s points at the bottle of lube lying discarded beside him, “over my–my cock?” 

The Scientist pinkens every time he says that word and Charlie usually laugh at him, but he’s too distracted this time. He grabs the bottle of lube, twisting the lid open and follows the Scientist’s instructions. He pours almost half the bottle, but the Scientist doesn’t seem to mind, making little-approving noises as the Scientist takes Charlie’s hand and together they slick up the Scientist’s cock, pushing Charlie’s hand down until he’s slicking up his balls and thighs too. 

It’s filthy and messy, lube covering the sheets, causing wet patches, but neither one pays any attention. Charlie’s too distracted staring at the Scientist’s thighs, glistening with lube, his cock twitching, flushed red. 

“Do you mind if I touch you, Charlie?” 

Charlie shakes his head, “Please–”  He doesn’t mind at all. He wants the Scientist to touch him so badly, he could cry.

The Scientist takes some of the lube excess and curls his hand around Charlie’s dick, pumping slowly. “I–I want you to put your–your c–cock between my thighs.” 

Charlie whines as the Scientist let go of his dick, then pushing his legs together, squeezing them shut and Charlie’s quick to climb over him, holding himself up with hands on each side of the Scientist’s chest.

He whimpers when he pushes his dick between the Scientist’s thighs, slipping with ease with all the lube. It’s so slippery and tight and heat surrounds his cock. 

Charlie groans as he pulls himself back, thrusting quickly forward again, and again and again and soon he’s lost to the motions, fucking the Scientist’s thighs eagerly, without abandon. 

The Scientist keeps crying out, every time Charlie’s cock brushes against his balls, sliding along them as he thrust between his thighs. The Scientist’s got one hand curled around his own cock, stroking himself as he watches Charlie. 

“Y–You’re so good–so,  _so_ good for me, Charlie” The Scientist praises, jerking himself off faster, “ _Oh_ –look at you. My–My Charlie, my sweet Charlie.” 

The Scientist’s words are what tips him over and Charlie shouts as he orgasms. His cock spasms, long ropes of come painting the Scientist’s inner thighs. 

“Fuck–Fuck! Charlie!” And the Scientist is coming too. Charlie’s hips twitches keep bucking forward, sliding along the lube mixed with his come into the wet heat between the Scientist’s thighs as the Scientist comes down from his orgasm.

The Scientist smiles up at him, a bit dazed, before cupping the nape of Charlie’s neck and pulling him towards him, kissing Charlie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	36. Charlie Asks When The Scientist Will Leave Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How about when Charlie is still insecure about his relationship with the Scientist and asks him when he's going to leave him?

It actually takes a few days for the thought to sink in, for the fear to spread like a fungus, pervading every thought, filling up every space in Charlie’s mind. The fear that the Scientist is going to leave him soon.

The thought first appears when the Scientist is trying to explain something to him, but Charlie’s not quite getting it.

“–Charlie–I…I don’t think you’re quite understanding what I’m saying. You’re just repeating my words back to me.”

It’s when the Scientist facepalms after Charlie responds with something so ridiculous that the Scientist can’t even look at him. Charlie’s stomach twist, suddenly feeling dumb and the biggest idiot in the world. He can’t even get a simple concept right and he begins to wonder when the Scientist is going to get sick of having to explain everything to Charlie when he’s going to get tired of being with someone who’s not as smart as he is.

What he doesn’t know is that the Scientist is actually hiding his face because he’s trying to stifle his laughter. He doesn’t want to hurt Charlie’s feelings by laughing at him. It’s just…Charlie could be  _so_ cute sometimes. It takes a moment for the Scientist to regain his composure before he lowers his hands. It wasn’t Charlie’s fault that he didn’t grasp what the Scientist was saying, it just simply means that the Scientist needs to adjust his explanation, try to explain it where Charlie does understands.

But then the Scientist’s starts canceling their dates and even though he sounds genuinely upset when he tells Charlie that they won’t be able to go out that night, Charlie’s certain that the Scientist is starting to distancing himself from Charlie. He wonders if it’s the Scientist’s way of softening the blow when he breaks that news that, “We’re simply not compatible, Charlie.” Because that sounds exactly like something the Scientist would say, he’d put it in scientific terms, break their relationship down as if he’s reading the results of a failed experiment, explaining what went wrong, that there were too many variables.

They actually managed to squeeze in a movie night that week, but the Scientist looks exhausted and distracted. Charlie doesn’t even think he’s paying any attention to the movie as if he would rather be anywhere than sitting on the sofa next to Charlie.

That thought makes Charlie let out a small pained gasp. It hurts to think that the Scientist is starting to get bored of Charlie, tired of his antics, tired of Charlie being so weird, tired of explaining himself, having to dumb himself down so that Charlie could get it. His eyes sting with unshed tears. He tries not to cry, he doesn’t want to cry, doesn’t want the Scientist to think that he’s a crybaby too.

He tries to focus on the movie but struggles to make out what’s going on. The screen is nothing but a blur due to his watery eyes, nothing but shapes and colors that don’t make any sense.

The Scientist hears a sniffle, becoming aghast when he sees that Charlie’s on the verge of crying, his mouth twisted to the side, arms crossed over his chest as he stares hard at the television screen.

“Charlie, are you…are you crying?” The Scientist gently asks.

“No.” Charlie quickly says, wiping at his eyes with his hand.

“Charlie…”

“I’m n–not, it’s just the–the movie, alright? It’s a sad movie.”

The Scientist throws a doubtful glance at the screen given that it’s a documentary about wildlife creatures. A cute little brown rabbit is chewing on some grass as the narrator drones on and on. He quickly grabs the remote from the coffee table, pausing the film.

He turns, situating himself where he’s facing Charlie. He starts carefully, slowly because he doesn’t want to push Charlie away, doesn’t want to overstep.

“Charlie, I hope you know that you can tell me anything, that you can talk to me if something is bothering you.”

The Scientist feels like he stumbles like he’s taken a misstep when he sees that his words only makes Charlie struggle not to cry even harder, a broken sob escaping his throat.

Charlie does start to cry when he gets the question out, the one that has been plaguing him all week. “Are-Are you getting tired of me?”

The Scientist is shocked at the question, but before he gets the chance to answer, Charlie’s continuing,“Because it feels like you-you been avoiding me and I know I’m not the smartest guy and that I’m like really w-weird…and…and you’re probably–probably getting like really sick of me being around.”

Hearing Charlie speak breaks the Scientist’s heart. It’s devastating that Charlie’s this upset, crying because he thinks the Scientist is going to leave him. The Scientist moves off the couch, kneeling in front of Charlie’s legs when he cups Charlie’s face with both hands. Charlie goes completely still, going quiet other than a few hiccups.

He drags his thumbs over Charlie’s cheeks, wiping away the tears as they slide past. He starts to apologize for giving Charlie the impression that he’s going to leave, he tries to explain that it has nothing to do with Charlie, that he’s just been awfully busy at work. He’s working on a project that’s not going according to plan and there’s extra pressure on him to get it right because a lot is riding on this experiment.

“You make me  _very_ happy, Charlie.” The Scientist admits because it’s true because Charlie is the only thing he looks forward to when work gets hectic and chaotic. He pushes himself up, leaning forward to kiss Charlie on the forehead before he continues, reminding Charlie how much he thinks Charlie’s brilliant and how he doesn’t want to be with anyone else.

Charlie makes a little-pleased noise when the Scientist kisses his tear-stained cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	37. The Scientist And Charlie Goes To Pride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Do you think Charlie would convince Scientist to go to Pride with him?

He does, but it doesn’t take much convincing before the Scientist agrees. 

Charlie was already planning on attending Pride, the whole gang was because it was something Mac hasn’t stopped talking about weeks before Pride month. They come up with the idea of building a float for the Pride parade, a way to publicize the bar and hopefully get more attention and customers while Mac truly embraces being an openly gay man. 

Charlie doesn’t ask right away, instead, he asks for the Scientist’s opinions for the float since the Scientist starts coming over to the bar more often for some reason, but Charlie certainly doesn’t mind. He’ll sit on a stool and watch while Charlie’s working since he’s the one who is doing most of the construction while Mac focuses on the design. (It may or may not have something to do with the fact that Charlie wears his jean shorts while he’s building the float, but the Scientist will refuse to admit such a thing.) The Scientist offers to help, of course, but Charlie waves him off, only asking for the Scientist to hand him tools occasionally. 

It’s once the float’s completely built, the morning of the parade that Charlie shyly asks if the Scientist wants to come. He had to ask the Scientist for help, because Mac was throwing a fit about Charlie’s clothes, said that he can’t wear his regular clothes because it’s  _Pride_ like that explained anything. 

So the Scientist helps out in that department, helping Charlie get ready for the parade. 

“You know…You could like come–if–if you know if you want to.” Charlie says, trying for casual but failing miserably. 

The Scientist has to bite his lip, trying not to smile as he applies some glitter onto Charlie’s face, sweeping his finger over Charlie’s cheekbones.

“Would your friends be okay with that?” 

Charlie perks up because that definitely wasn’t a no, “Oh yeah! I mean, I didn’t ask, but I’m sure they won’t mind.”

The Scientist makes a humming noise. He doesn’t like getting involved with the Gang’s schemes, but he would really enjoy going to Pride with Charlie.

“I would love to go with you, Charlie.” The Scientist says and Charlie just beams and shoots forward, kissing him with a bit of force, knocking his mouth against the Scientist’s lips. Charlie doesn’t seem to mind that the Scientist accidentally gets glitter in his beard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	38. Charlie's Favorite Kinks (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What do u think some of their kinks/favorite things to do in bed are?

Charlie loves dry humping.

He loves straddling the Scientist on the bed, on the sofa, even when the Scientist is working at his computer, sitting in his computer chair. He’ll throw his legs around the Scientist’s hips, pin him in place, and start grinding his cock against him. He loves hearing the Scientist moan and pant, loves feeling the Scientist clutch at his hips, fingernails digging in. Sometimes they’re fully clothed, other times they’re down to their boxers. The Scientist loves when Charlie’s wearing his jean shorts though, loves seeing his thighs flexed, muscles contracting, he’ll slide his hands down Charlie’s back and cup his ass, kneading it through his jeans and Charlie makes the most delightful noises.

Charlie enjoys sex a lot more when it’s filthy and messy and slippery and wet. He loves seeing the Scientist all dirty and covered in his come. His usually neat hair all tousled and disheveled, face flushed and bright red, breathing hard and sweaty. The Scientist encourages him, lets him jerk off above him, shooting his come over his ass or chest or more frequently, across his face. Charlie doesn’t mind the taste, actually, he quite enjoys it so he always cleans up his mess afterward. Licking the stripes of come off the Scientist’s body until he’s clean and sticky with Charlie’s saliva.

The Scientist has really,  _really_ nice hands. Charlie admires them a lot, especially with how big they are, how his long fingers can wrap around both their cocks and stroke them simultaneously. How wonderful it feels, the Scientist’s soft hand, their cocks rubbing against each other, the wet, slick noises as their cocks leak, dripping with pre-come as the Scientist jerks them off faster and faster and Charlie’s fucking his tight fist until they’re both groaning, trembling from their orgasms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	39. Charlie Gets New Shoes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Imagine the Scientist finding out Charlie has been wearing the same shoes for like fifteen years and convincing him to get a new pair. Because it's time. It really is.

Charlie sighs loudly, for the twentieth times since they entered the store. “Is this really necessary? I don’t see why I gotta get a new pair.”

“Because–” The Scientist repeats again, tugging open the shoe box that Charlie reluctantly picked out, “Your old pair needs replacing, Charlie.” 

Charlie’s sitting down on a small bench in the middle of the aisle, drumming his fingers against his knees as he squints up at the Scientist, tilting his head, “Do they, though?” 

The Scientist glances at him,“Yes.”

Charlie rolls his eyes, sighing once more and the Scientist ignores Charlie’s dramatics, even if they  _were_ a bit cute. He kneels, sitting in front of Charlie and Charlie goes absolutely red, “Whoa–What–What are you doing?”

“Thought that would be obvious.” The Scientist chuckles, teasing gently as he lifts Charlie’s foot carefully and places it on top of his thigh, before undoing his laces. 

“Dude, I can do that.” Charlie protests weakly, his eyes glued on the Scientist’s hands, “You–You don’t have to–”

“That’s alright, I like taking care of you, Charlie.”

A noise escapes from Charlie’s throat and the Scientist glances up and sees that Charlie’s still blushing, turning brighter after he admits that he likes when the Scientist takes care of him too.

The Scientist doesn’t say anything, just sends him a small smile before easing Charlie’s old shoes off and slipping a new pair on, repeating the process on his other foot.

He leans back, “How does that feel?”

“ _Oh_ ,” Charlie whispers as he plants his feet on to the floor, standing up from the bench, bounces on his toes. He does a little circle, walking down the aisle before returning to where the Scientist stood. “These feel nice, dude.”

The Scientist tries not to be smug because he knew Charlie would enjoy a new pair of shoes that weren’t worn down and could support his feet better.

“Alright…I  _guess_  these aren’t too bad, but they aren’t as good as my old ones though.” 

The Scientist shakes his head fondly, hiding a smile, “Of course, darling.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	40. Charlie Waits For The Scientist's Visa Extension To Get Approved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about Scientist and Charlie having to wait to see if his visa extension will be approved?

It’s the longest six weeks of their lives.

It’s spent with dread in the pits of their bellies, expanding, growing each day when they received nothing back but silence. No news. Nothing.

The Scientist knew it would take time to get a response, this isn’t the first time he’s applied for a visa extension, but it was the first time that the possibility of being forced to return to England terrifies him. He grew up in England, his childhood home, but here with Charlie has become his  _new_ home, one he so desperately didn’t want to leave.

Charlie’s upset when he breaks the news about having to apply for his visa extension, that there’s a chance that he’ll be denied and have to return to England. The Scientist tries to swallow around the lump forming in his throat as he speaks, as he sees tears start welling in Charlie’s eyes. 

The more time passes, the more uneasy they become. Charlie starts immediately scheming, “You could just stay here, no one would have to know.” 

“Charlie, I could get banned from the country if I’m caught and never be able to return.” The Scientist softly explains. 

“Oh, well–well I can just go with you to England.”

The Scientist also reminds Charlie then that he’s deathly afraid of leaving Philadelphia and he almost cries when Charlie says that the Scientist is worth it, that he’d face his fears to go anywhere with the Scientist.

After six excruciatingly long weeks, (they weren’t the worst six weeks ever since it was mostly spent with them trying to squeeze as much time together as they could) the Scientist  _finally_ receives his receipt approving his visa extension. 

Charlie pretty much flings himself into the Scientist’s arms when he finds out, causing the Scientist to lose his balance and they both topple onto the sofa. He’s laughing as Charlie plants light kisses all over the Scientist's face. His forehead, both cheeks, his nose. 

The Scientist reaches out, curling both hands around Charlie’s jaw, cupping his face before kissing Charlie right on the mouth and Charlie just  _melts_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	41. The Scientist Gets Insecure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you do the reverse where Scientist worries about his place in Charlie's life given how straight-laced he is not fitting in well with the rest of Charlie's life?

There are some things about Charlie that the Scientist will never understand.

One of those things is Charlie’s friends, the gang, and he’s not meaning them as individuals (even though they are quite peculiar.) It’s the concept he’s unfamiliar with, being that close to a group of people, that it’s almost like having a second family. The insides jokes, the stories, the endless adventures. The Scientist can’t wrap his head around it because he has never experienced it before. Never had any close friendships like  _that_.

He thinks maybe that’s why he feels like such an outsider when he’s around Charlie and his friends. He’s always out of the loop like he’s picked up a book and started midway, unaware of the previous chapters.

He wishes he could blame it on that, but deep down, he knows that it has more to do with  _him_. There’s a disconnect between him and people and it has been that way long before he even met Charlie.

Charlie had invited the Scientist over to Paddy’s. Apparently, the gang was playing some game called Chardee Macdennis? Charlie had wanted the Scientist to join, to get involved, but he waves the offer away, deciding to simply watch from the sidelines. 

It was a fascinating experience and a part of him was intrigued by the weird game, with the intricate layers and rules, but the Scientist was much too distracted. He couldn’t stop thinking about the brief disappointment that flashed across Charlie’s face when he declines the offer to join. 

It was gone within seconds, already forgotten, Charlie moving on, distracted with the proceedings of the game, but the Scientist couldn’t stop thinking about it the entire time and it follows him even when they returned home. 

“I’m sorry.” He blurts out to Charlie while they’re getting ready for bed. 

It’s late, but not that late. It’s more from out of habit than anything and the Scientist wonders if Charlie’s getting tired of this routine, already bored with him. The Scientist isn’t as exciting as Charlie or his friends are. The times they spend together are nothing like how Charlie is with the gang, and for that he’s glad but he couldn’t stop wondering if maybe…Maybe Charlie wishes he was more adventurous, more daring, just  _more_. 

“For what?” Charlie looks over at him, arms raised over his head as he stretches, one of his nightly routines. 

The Scientist looks down, feeling his face growing warmer. “For not participating tonight.” 

“Oh, that? Nah, don’t worry about that.” Charlie shrugs, “I know how you are about things like that.”

He tries not to wince at Charlie’s words, taking a seat on the bed.

“About things like that?” The Scientist questions, even if he doesn’t really want Charlie to confirm his fears.

Charlie straightens his posture from touching his toes, “Yeah, like okay, you talk about how it’s good to be prepared for things and discussing things–like rules and–and like knowing them. We don’t really do that when we play the game and that probably made you nervous cause I know how you get when you’re not prepared. You get  _so_ nervous, dude.”

The Scientist resists the urge to hide his face, covering up his blushing with one of the pillows resting on the bed. 

“Do you ever wish I was less nervous about rules and more accepting with going with the flow?” He finally asks, staring longingly at one of the pillows, he could easily reach for it and smother himself if he doesn’t die from embarrassment first. 

Charlie blinks at him. “What?”

If only the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

“What I mean is…Do–Do you find me boring?”

Charlie’s face softens immeasurably and before the Scientist can even blink, Charlie’s moving, clambering onto the bed and into his lap. The Scientist automatically wraps his hands around Charlie’s hips, steadying him and Charlie buries his nose into the crevice between the Scientist’s neck and shoulder. 

“I think–I think you’re  _extraordinary_.” 

The Scientist blushes, even more, at hearing his own words being repeated back to him, something he has told Charlie on several occasions. Charlie continues, tells the Scientist how he reminds him of that nautical documentary they watched the other night, how he anchors Charlie, how he steadies Charlie, calms him down. A compass, always guiding Charlie and Charlie knows he can follow the Scientist without any fear of getting bit by a shark. 

It’s the last part that has the Scientist questioning whether or not they should have watched that particular documentary because Charlie’s recently become obsessed with maritime mammals, a deep fascination with sharks, but he still appreciates Charlie’s words. 

“Thank you, Charlie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	42. The Scientist Meets Charlie's High School Bullies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you write something about Charlie running into one of his childhood bullies when he's out with Scientist and he calls him dirtgrub and brings up Charlie being forced to eat spiders? Charlie is mortified and could just die but Scientist isn't ashamed of Charlie, he steps up and defends him.

“No fucking way. Is that dirtgrub?”

Charlie flinches when he overhears a loud voice calling from behind and Charlie panics.  _no. _no._ _no. _no._  _ _no. _no._  _ _no…p_ lease this can’t be happening, not now, not with the scientist here with him, holding his hand. and now gazing at him with concern because of course, he notices charlie flinching. he always notices everything. _

“Charlie, are you–” The Scientist is interrupted before he can finish the question.

“It is! Hey, dirtgrub!” The familiar voice shouts and Charlie squeezes his eyes shut as he hears approaching footsteps getting louder and louder, closer and closer until the man’s directly standing in front of them. 

Charlie recognizes him, one of the students that used to bully him in high school. He doesn’t exactly recall the dude’s name, because, well Charlie has trouble remember stuff like names. But he definitely remembers his face in the crowd that surrounded Charlie when he was a teenager, pointing and laughing. 

_“Look at the freak.”  But Charlie didn’t care if they called him names. They were laughing. And that was good. That was great actually. Because he can laugh too, he can eat all the spiders, he can be the dirtgrub to make them laugh because as long as they’re laughing with him, they forget to hurt him._

“Hey dirtgrub, it’s been awhile. Haven’t seen you guys made an ass out of yourselves at the reunion. Where’s the rest of your little group?”  The man glances around, trying to spot the rest of the gang, but instead, he turns his focus onto the Scientist like he’s just realizing his presence for the first time.

“Who’s your friend, dirtgrub?” 

“ _I’m_ his boyfriend.” The Scientist snaps before asking, “Why do you keep calling him that?” 

Charlie wants to die. _because the Scientist gonna find out. he’s gonna find out and be disgusted with charlie, he’s gonna call him a freak too, he’s gonna leave. he’s gonna leave, he’s gonna leave._

The man grins conspiratorially at the Scientist like he’s sharing some kind of secret joke with him, “You don’t know about dirtgrub, here?

He tells the Scientist everything, leaving no details out about all the things Charlie used to do in high school, why everyone called him dirtgrub.

“The fucking funniest thing, watching him gobble up those spiders. You should have seen–”

“Are you actually bragging about bullying right now.” The Scientist sounds rather pissed off and Charlie peeks up at him, realizing the Scientist is  _still_ holding his hand. 

_he didn’t drop his hand. not even when he heard about the spiders. he’s actually gripping his hand tighter, squeezing it like he always does when he’s reassuring charlie._

Charlie just stares at the Scientist with wide eyes, awe-struck and amazed because the Scientist is still here, defending him, actually putting the dude who used to torment him in high school, who made Charlie hate himself, in his place. 

The man’s smiles drop when he realizes what was happening, quickly backtracking, “Whatever man, I don’t care. You’re probably a freak just like him.” 

The Scientist shakes his head at the retreating figure before turning to face Charlie, anger draining from his face. “Charlie, are you alright? I’m so sorry- _Oomph_ -”

Charlie hugs him tight, wrapping his arms around the Scientist, burying his face into his chest. The Scientist holds him, rubbing his hands along Charlie’s back. 

Charlie almost wishes that the Scientist went to high school with him. He wonders if they would’ve been friends. Two lonely outcasts finding each other. Maybe the Scientist would’ve helped him get better a long time ago. 

But then again, he’s awfully glad he has the Scientist now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	43. Charlie Serenades The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What happens the first time Charlie writes a song for Scientist?

The Scientist doesn’t even realize Charlie’s singing about him at first.

He’s distracted by the way Charlie plays, each time he strikes the keys, soft music fills the air and the Scientist loves watching Charlie play, the way his hands move across his keyboard, the fluid movements, it’s completely captivating. 

But then Charlie starts singing and that alone is enough of a distraction because Charlie has such a lovely voice, distinct and rough around the edges, almost raspy, but absolutely beautiful. 

It takes a second for the lyrics to sink in, for the Scientist to recognize that the song is about  _him_. His faces warm, heat creeping up his neck to his cheeks, but embarrassment aside, he’s not able to stop smiling during the rest of Charlie’s performance, because Charlie wrote a song  _for_ him,  _about_ him and it’s one of the most romantic things anyone has ever done for the Scientist. 

Charlie’s grinning at him once he’s finished playing, “So… whaddya think?”

“I love it, Charlie, thank you.” The Scientist answers him and Charlie beams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	44. The Scientist Meets Green Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How does it go the first time the Scientist encounters Green Man?

The keys jiggle in his hand as he unlocks the door to their apartment, slipping inside quickly. Before he has the chance to put away the keys, the Scientist hears a noise coming from the direction of their bedroom. He freezes completely.

Maybe it was just Charlie. 

“Charlie?” The Scientist calls out uneasily. He sure hoped that it was Charlie, but hadn’t Charlie said that he wouldn’t be home much since him and the gang had plans today? 

The Scientist swallows thickly when he hears no response, his heart pounding, fingers tightening around the set of keys in his fist. He creeps slowly down the hall, second-guessing his decision to investigate the noise, wondering if maybe he should turn back around, just leave and go to Paddy’s.

What he finds in the bedroom is  _not_ what he’s expecting.

Regardless he still screams when he sees a green figure standing in the middle of the room and without thinking he throws his keys, hitting his target right in the chest.

“Whoa–Whoa–Whoa, it’s me! It’s just me!” The words are a bit muffled from the green mask, but as soon as Charlie pulls it down, his words are much clearer. 

“Charlie,” The Scientist gasps, squeezing his eyes shut, “Why are you–What–What are you  _wearing?”_

“Oh yeah, you don’t even know about Green Man! Totally forgot about that.” Charlie chuckles, “No wonder you freaked when you saw me.” 

“Yes, yes, you gave me quite the scare.” 

Charlie ducks down, picking up the keys from the floor. “Hey, your aim is getting better though.” 

The Scientist blushes, “Sorry.” 

“Nah, it’s fine.” Charlie shrugs, telling the Scientist about Green Man and then how the gang just ditched him and decided to go with another plan that didn’t involve the Green Man. “I just didn’t feel like taking the suit off.” 

“Ah–I see.” The Scientist’s eyes trail over him, staring at the green material clinging to Charlie’s body. “Is…it comfortable?”

“A little bit, yeah.”

Charlie looks ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, with his hair squashed flat from wearing the mask and the rest of him completely covered in a tight green spandex suit. The Scientist probably should find this cute, but he does. 

“Do you need help getting out of it?” The Scientist shakes his head, laughing when Charlie nods, agreeing quickly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	45. Charlie Discovers Green-Card Marriages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: In response to the Visa thing... Charlie finding out about green card marriages.

“So I was talking with the gang–” Charlie starts in the middle of dinner and the Scientist braces himself because a sentence like that was a dangerous one. Anytime the gang is involved it usually ends rather poorly.

“–And then I started doing some research and I know how you can stay, how you won’t have to leave the country.”

It’s a sweet gesture. Charlie researching ways for him to stay in the country and he’s touched, but if the gang’s involved then it’s bound to be an illegal scheme some way or another. “Charlie–”

“Let’s get married!”

The Scientist chokes, spitting out his drink because  _that_ was not what he had been anticipating.

But Charlie keeps going, “We can get married and we’ll have to keep doing that visa thing for awhile, but after two years, you can get a green card and–and you can stay as long as you want! We don’t have to worry about you getting kicked out of the country anymore!”

“You want to marry me?” The Scientist clears his throat, blinking fast.  He knows that out of everything Charlie just said that should be the last thing he’s focusing on, but his heart’s fluttering like a butterfly flapping its wings, wildly in his chest, because Charlie  _would_ marry him.

“Yeah, dude.” Charlie blushes. “I–I–Don’t you want to marry me?” 

The Scientist reaches out across the table, takes Charlie’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers together. “Of course I do, very much so.” 

“As much as I appreciate the thought, all your effort with researching…” The Scientist pauses, lost in his thoughts. He doesn’t want Charlie to change his mind later, regret marrying the Scientist after awhile and then he’s stuck with the Scientist. “I don’t think we should rush into this, not marriage, not just so I can stay longer in the country. I want to do it for the right reasons, at the right time.” 

Charlie looks a little disappointed, but he nods, “Yeah, I guess you’re right…So you  _would_ marry me?” 

The Scientist just brings Charlie’s hand to his mouth, kissing it in lieu of an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	46. The Scientist's Favorite Kinks (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What are some of the scientist’s favorite things to do in bed w charlie? do u think he’s mostly vanilla or is he secretly kinky??

The Scientist pretends he’s vanilla, but deep down he’s kinky as hell. He’s just too shy to approach Charlie and ask him to try some of the things he likes.

But one of his favorite things to do is blowing Charlie. He loves wrapping his mouth around Charlie’s thick dick and suck him until Charlie completely unravels. He can never tear his eyes away. Charlie looks magnificent, so beautiful. The way Charlie’s eyes will roll back in his head and his fingers will grip at the Scientist’s hair, but never tugging too hard, not enough where it hurts, even if sometimes the Scientist’s wants him to. The way Charlie moans, the soft breathy sounds that encourages the Scientist to take Charlie down to the root, deep throating him. Charlie tries not to fuck his throat, but the Scientist secretly wants him too, wants his throat to ache afterward, left with a hoarse voice and watery eyes. He doesn’t tend to swallow often, because he really really enjoys Charlie coming on his face, especially when he’s wearing glasses.

Charlie’s not a fan of penetrative stuff, so usually, it’s the Scientist who bottoms. Charlie’s just too nervous about the idea, but it’s something they’re working on, but only when Charlie’s completely comfortable with it. The Scientist doesn’t mind  _at all._ He loves sinking down on Charlie’s cock, loves how thick and wide and long it is, how he feels so  _full_ like he’s been missing something his entire life and never realized how empty he has been. Riding Charlie is his favorite cause he gets to watch every little reaction from Charlie when he sinks down slowly, when he rolls his hips, when he starts bouncing on Charlie’s cock, fucking himself earnestly. Charlie’s so responsive too, how he’ll flutter his eyes shut, how he’ll grip the Scientist’s hips so hard it almost leaves bruises, how he’ll bite down on his bottom lip, how low and raspy his moans are.

But the Scientist is a softie too. He loves the slow and lazy sex. Sloppy makeouts on the couch that always ends with Charlie shoving him down onto the sofa and fucking him deep and slowly. The Scientist just clinging to him while Charlie pushes inside him, achingly slow, but it always leaves the Scientist gasping. Charlie’s warm breath hitting against his neck, his beard tickling the Scientist’s collarbone. It’s afterward what he loves most about it, how Charlie will send him a dopey grin and the Scientist will smile back, brushing Charlie’s hair aside from sticking to his sweaty forehead. He just loves how intimate those moments are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	47. The Scientist And Charlie Goes Bird Feeding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How about Charlie and Scientist feeding birds together?

It’s something they try to do often, but with the Scientist’s work schedule, they usually just go on the weekends.

Early mornings where the park is mostly empty. There’s only ever less than a handful of people present, other than some jogger running by or passing an elderly couple reading a newspaper on a bench. They’ll walk for a while until they find their spot, the park bench they always sit at.

It’s a mesmerizing sight. 

Right under a large Mulberry Tree that provides wonderful shade in the hot summers, beautiful sights in the autumn with golden and red leaves. They have to cross a bridge over a little pool of water to get to their spot. Sometimes they’ll stand on the bridge for a little while. Charlie clutching onto the railing, standing on his tiptoes to peer over, down into the water.

It always tends to be a quiet affair. They’ll sit on their park bench and wait patiently, or at least the Scientist will, Charlie gets too eager sometimes, one of his legs bouncing until the Scientist distracts him long enough until a bird swoops down in front of them.

They feed the birds and Charlie always laugh when one arrives and he’ll whisper into the Scientist’s ear, careful not to frighten off the birds with a loud noise, telling him what type of bird it was. 

They never start out holding hands. It’s always a brush of fingers, teasing touches that linger for a bit too long to be accidental. Charlie will knock his fingers against the Scientist and the Scientist will smile to himself, indulging Charlie by taking his hand, intertwining their fingers together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	48. The Scientist And Charlie Celebrates Their Birthdays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How would Scientist and Charlie celebrate the other's birthday?

The Scientist always forgets his birthday. He hardly ever celebrates, usually forgetting entirely about it until he checks his inbox and finds an Ecard from his parents. It’s usually a lonely affair until Charlie came into his life.

The Gang usually forgets Charlie’s birthday so he knows what it’s like to let the day pass without comment, without celebrating it at all. 

But that changes once they’re together. Charlie makes it into a huge thing, always celebrating the Scientist’s birthday. He’ll wake the Scientist up with birthday kisses, usually making the Scientist breakfast and bringing it to him in bed. The Scientist isn’t fond of receiving presents, not comfortable with the idea of money being spent on him so Charlie has to get creative each year. 

The Scientist, on the other hand, loves spoiling Charlie. He’ll buy him anything he wants, but usually, there’s not much Charlie wants, at least not material items one could purchase at a store. He tends to buy Charlie new notebooks for his dream journal, paintbrushes, even bought him a new keyboard for one birthday.

They always celebrate their birthdays by spending the whole day together. Sometimes they’ll go to the park for a picnic, other times they’ll attend a planetarium showing that the Scientist’s been itching to go to or visit the amusement park Charlie’s been talking about for weeks.

The Scientist grows to enjoy celebrating his birthday, because he’s not alone anymore, because he has someone to celebrate it with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	49. The Gang Locks Charlie In The Basement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you do something about the gang wanting to use the Scientist in a scheme and trying to get Charlie to involve him?

Charlie’s panting when he reaches the Scientist’s office. 

He’s also pretty filthy.

His grey jacket is covered in a layer of grime, splotches of dirt painted across his cheeks and forehead. 

“Charlie?” The Scientist startles hearing the door of his office slam shut loudly and Charlie barricading it with his own body like his life depended on it. 

“Are you alright? You’re–You’re–” 

The Scientist’s eyes sweep over Charlie, “What on Earth happened?” 

“The gang trapped me in the basement of Paddy’s.”

_“What?!”_

Charlie shrugs, “It’s not the first time. Does this door lock?”

“Not the  _first_ time?” The Scientist repeats, horrified. Charlie doesn’t answer, instead glancing over the door to find a lock.

“Charlie.” The Scientist tries again. “Please, what is going on? Why did your friends lock you in the basement?”

“Uh, right.” Charlie turns away from the door, still eyeing it warily like it’s about to spring open. 

“It’s kinda a long story, but Dennis came up with a plan, and it  _was_ a pretty good plan, but it wouldn’t work without you.” 

“Without me…” The Scientist echoes. He’s still confused as to how he’s involved in this story, he’s been here the entire day.

“Right. They wouldn’t…” Charlie scrubs at his face and the Scientist could tell he was getting agitated. 

“It’s alright, Charlie. Take your time.” 

Charlie exhales, nodding, “They wouldn’t stop telling me what to do! They kept ordering me around and stuff and normally I’m okay with that, well not really, but I still do it. I do all of Charlie work.” 

“They wanted me to call you and ask for your help–but-but I wouldn’t and then they got really angry. Dennis said they’ll just get you to do it without me and then locked me in the basement.” 

The Scientist tries to follow along, he’s still horrified at the fact that Charlie’s friends,  _his close friends_ , locked him in a basement. “And you’re here now–”

“Well yeah, I mean I had to escape, I couldn’t let them get to you and boss you into doing their plan.” 

“I wouldn’t have let that happened, I’m sure.”

Charlie shakes his head, “They can be real..per–persuasive.”

The Scientist can’t help but smile at that, Charlie using the word of the day correctly in a sentence. He had bought Charlie a calendar brandishing a new word each day and Charlie loves it, always tries to incorporate the word in his day.

“That’s awfully sweet of you, Charlie, rushing to my rescue like that.” 

Charlie blushes bright, ducking his head, suddenly looking at his shoes like they’re the most interesting things in the room. “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	50. Part Two: Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the second part of the first chapter

Charlie looks around, watching every passerby that walks by the car. His heart starts every time he spots a shadow in the rearview mirror only for disappointment to settle when he realizes it’s not the person he’s looking for.

His fingers tap restlessly against the car seat. He’s beyond nervous, palms slick with a thin layer of sweat. At that moment, Charlie was grateful that Mac was dating Rex. Rex let them borrow his car whenever they want, so they don’t have to use Dee’s vehicle anymore or listen to her gripe for even asking to borrow. It has air conditioning too which makes it a thousand times better than Dee’s car anyways.

It’s cool enough inside to combat the summer heat  _and_ Charlie’s anxious sweating, but he still has to listen to Mac drone on and on about his relationship woes.

“I just don’t get it. I like this guy right? Rex’s ripped. He’s a total beefcake but–”

_“But he’s not Dennis.”_   Charlie internally finishes the sentence, thinks the words Mac refuses to admit. He drowns out the rest of Mac’s spiel, instead of listening, he turns his focus back on the entryway of the coffee shop. 

“Rex is–Wait a second…Is that Science Bitch?” 

Charlie jerks up in his seat, so fast that he almost hits his head on the interior roof.  He doesn’t hear Mac’s exclamation. Charlie doesn’t think he can hear anything other than his pounding heart, the blood rushing to his ears, all the sounds being drowned out by Charlie’s thoughts.

_He’s here. He’s here. He actually showed up._

Charlie gets that feeling again, that fuzzy sensation in his head. He feels light,  _really_ light as if he’s about to lose his grip on gravity and he’ll start floating upwards. There’s something fluttering inside him, something Charlie can’t identify it, as he watches the Scientist arrive at the coffee shop on a bicycle. 

Charlie’s entranced by the way the Scientist moves, his long legs pushing at the pedals, easily. The wind blowing his hair blowing away from his face, curly tendrils lifting upwards. Suddenly time slows and everything feels as if it’s going in slow motion.

Mac leans forward in his seat, squinting out the window. “Holy shit! It is!” 

“Dude–Are you stalking Science Bitch?!” 

Charlie pulls a face, “What–No– _No._ I’m not  _stalking–”_

“Wait.” Mac suddenly sobers, quickly going quiet while he tries to process what was occurring just now. “Does that mean you’re like gay now?”

It’s a sincere question, Mac doesn’t laugh, doesn’t judge, just sits there silently, staring at Charlie who is struggling to answer, finding it difficult to get any words out at all.

“I don’t–I don’t know.” 

He hasn’t really thought about it, hasn’t examined his feelings too closely for the Scientist. He knows it’s different, knows he hasn’t quite felt this way before. 

“Okay,” Mac says like he understands, in a soft, patient voice and it’s too much for Charlie. Charlie needs to leave, to exit the car, to get away from Mac and his questions. He just wants to see the Scientist and not think about anything else.

“I gotta–I gotta go.” Charlie hurries, clicking out of his seatbelt and slamming the car door shut before Mac could say anything else. He jogs across the street, dodging the cars. He makes it just in time as the Scientist swinging his leg over the seat of the bicycle.

“Charlie.” The Scientist glances up from chaining his bike to the rack outside the coffee shop. 

Charlie has to swallow, to catch his breath because the Scientist had uttered Charlie’s name so warmly like he’s  _happy_ to see him. The Scientist smiles and all of Charlie’s distracting thoughts vanish, gone from his head and that fuzzy feeling returns, replacing his anxiety.

_“Hi,”_  Charlie almost whispers, returning a shy smile.


	51. The Scientist And Charlie Are Followed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How about Charlie and Scientist are walking and cats start following Charlie, as they do, and it's just so cute.

The Scientist notices, of course, but it takes awhile before he realizes it’s a pattern, a common occurrence in Charlie Kelly’s life.

He didn’t really pay any attention the first time he picked Charlie up outside his apartment and saw a couple alleycats lurking nearby. It was a passing observation, forgotten completely when Charlie came bounding down the sidewalk and duck his head down to smile at the Scientist through the car window. The Scientist doesn’t give the cats a second glance.

He starts noticing the cats more when he’s around Charlie’s apartment. Although it’s not often Charlie invites him over, mostly because Frank lives there too, but Charlie turns red any time the Scientist brings up the subject and starts mumbling about the state of his apartment. The Scientist never pushes so he usually switch topics.

But sometimes they’ll walk instead of driving, it’s healthy  _and_ good for the environment the Scientist will always reason. The Scientist waits on the sidewalk outside of Charlie’s apartment for him to come down. 

It’s then when he notices the cats peeking around the corner, there’s a lot more of them this time. He watches them for a little bit as he waits. They’re rough, shabby looking felines but the Scientist finds them endearing, black and orange calicos with matted, fluffy fur. He smiles at them, wondering if they’re safe enough to approach, but he gets distracted when he hears the sounds of footsteps.

Once more the cats are a forgotten thought, the Scientist’s too focused on the timbre of Charlie’s laugh, the way his hands waved through the air, gesticulating as he speaks. There’s a warmth radiating from Charlie and the Scientist feels as if he’s standing next to the sun, his heart quickens as Charlie grabs his hand, entwining their fingers.

It’s only when he glances over his shoulder, hearing a quiet meow, he remembers the alleycats. There’s a trail of cats following after them.

The Scientist pauses, “Charlie.”

Charlie must have felt the Scientist’s abrupt stop, the tug on his hand when the Scientist doesn’t keep walking forward with him. 

“I think we’re being followed.” 

Charlie glances backward, noticing the group of cats, unsurprised. “Oh yeah, they do that a lot.”

“...You have a group of street cats following you?”

“They probably think I got food,” Charlie says with a shrug, “I fed them once and ever since they follow me around--Oh, hey Patches is here!”

“Patches?” The Scientist repeats. Charlie points out a black cat with a white spot on its paw. 

The Scientist smiles because of course, Charlie has named them, “You don’t mind them then?” 

Charlie shakes his head, squatting and beckoning the cats over with his hand, “Nah, I always wished I had a cat of my own but Frank won’t let me bring any inside the apartment.”

The Scientist watches Patches rub against Charlie’s legs as Charlie scratch behind the cat’s ears. Charlie looks so content, so  _happy,_  grinning at the old street cat. 

An idea occurs to the Scientist then, something to remember for the future, if Charlie stays with him, maybe they could own a cat together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	52. The Gang Gives The Scientist The Shovel Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: idk if you already answered this (maybe just in Frank’s case) does the gang give the Scientist the shovel talk? i’d like to think Mac would for sure, because Charlie’s his closest and oldest friend and he’s always gotta assert his like ability to physically defend what he cares about. if they do, all together or separate, how does it go?

They all act like they don’t care, especially Dennis, but they all end up confronting the Scientist individually.

Frank is the first one to confront the Scientist and actually ends up pulling out his gun to scare the Scientist and Charlie has to intervene and jump in between them, shielding the Scientist before wrestling the gun away from Frank.

Mac approaches him next and literally threatens the Scientist. Ask him if he’s planning on hurting Charlie to which the Scientist sputters out _“No, of course not.”_ But Mac doesn’t listen and starts showing off his karate moves, circling around the Scientist while chopping the air and the Scientist is just baffled completely.

Dee also threatens the Scientist with violence in a subtle way, she plays nice at first, sympathizing with the Scientist, “These guys can be a lot, huh?” before switching her tone and stepping closer to the Scientist until he’s backed against the bar and she tells him that she’ll set his ass on fire if he hurts Charlie.

Dennis is the last one, but surprisingly enough he’s the only normal one out of the group and doesn’t threaten the Scientist with violence. He tries to act nonchalant about the whole thing as if he doesn’t really care what the Scientist does to Charlie. But the Scientist can hear how sincere Dennis sounds when he asks bluntly if the Scientist is just manipulating Charlie. 

“I mean, it’s a great scheme you got cooking up. You got Charlie right where you want him, wrapped around your finger... But...Charlie’s the foundation of this group and he’s--he’s been through a lot, alright? Listen, man, if you’re just using Charlie--”

“I can assure you, Mr. Reynolds, I’m doing no such thing. I understand how much Charlie means to all of you.” 

Dennis scoffs at that, rolling his eyes, but before he could argue, the Scientist continues, smiling a little, “But I have no nefarious intentions. Charlie...Charlie just makes me very happy and I want to be with him as long as he allows me.”

Dennis stares at him for a while after that, studying him, before nodding, “Hmm, I thought Charlie was the one who’s hooked, but it’s you, isn’t it?” 

The Scientist turns, spotting Charlie from across the room, his heart speeding up just at the sight of Charlie alone. “Mr. Reynolds, you are quite correct in your hypothesis.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	53. Charlie Finds The Scientist's Toys (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Any headcanons to what the Scientist’s kinks are, or his background? Either is good, thank you for your time

The Scientist’s sexual background is pretty non-existent before Charlie because mostly he’s just too preoccupied with work to have flings or let alone relationships. 

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get lonely sometimes, desperate to be touched. So throughout the years, he has bought  _a lot_  of toys for himself.

He kinda just forgets about the box of sex toys under his bed when he starts dating Charlie and he’s utterly mortified when Charlie spots the box and starts tugging it out from underneath the bed.

“What’s this–” Charlie begins to ask before he sees the contents laying inside the box and quickly realizes what he’s staring at, “Oh _–_ ”

He’s expecting Charlie to react in a lot of different ways. Laughing awkwardly or maybe blushing and pushing the box back under the bed without acknowledging it. His worst fear though is that Charlie will react with disgust, dread fills the pit of the Scientist’s stomach at the thought, that Charlie will find him disgusting. 

But the Scientist could never anticipate in a million years how Charlie  _does_ respond. 

There’s a faint blush dusting across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, accentuating the freckles, but Charlie gazes at the box with intrigue, curiosity. 

“Can–Can you show me?” 

The Scientist’s brain short-circuits. His jaw drops, mouth falling agape, closing, opening again as he struggles to find words. “I–Pardon?”

Charlie turns redder. “It’s stupid. Nevermind.”

“No–No–No, it’s not stupid.” The Scientist quickly closes the distance between them, kneeling beside Charlie on the floor, “Nothing you could ever say would be stupid. I’m sorry, I just…I didn’t understand. Please, what did you mean by that, Charlie?” 

Charlie’s staring so intently at the box, eyeing the several increasingly bigger dildos line inside the box, that the Scientist almost laughs at the absurdity of the situation, but then Charlie looks at him straight on and mumbles out “I want..I want you to show me how you–how–.”

The Scientist swallows, “You wish for me to show you how I use these?”

Charlie nods and the Scientist feels heart flare in his stomach at the idea of doing such an act in front of Charlie.

“Y-Yeah.” Charlie drops his head, fingers tracing the outside of the box, “You have a lot of them…You must like them.”

The Scientist pinkens a little. “I have to–I have to get myself ready first.” 

He’s already semi-hard, almost dizzy with arousal as he climbs onto the bed after fetching the bottle of lube from his nightstand. Charlie just sits on the edge of the mattress, watching closely at his every move as the Scientist slowly removes his clothes, his shirt first, before he’s tugging his sweatpants and boxers down his legs before kicking them aside.

He feels positively  _debauched_ as he lies back against the bed, spreading his legs wide for Charlie to see everything. Charlie doesn’t tear his eyes away from him throughout, watching the Scientist lube up his fingers, slipping them inside of himself and stretching, scissoring his fingers. He starts to moan after awhile, once he’s got another finger knuckle deep within him, grinding back down against his own digits. 

“Would–” The Scientist’s pants, “Would you like–like to pick out one for me, Charlie?”

He doesn’t have to repeat the question, Charlie scrambles off the bed to pick out a toy for him. Charlie hesitates only a moment before he picks one and the Scientist has to bite his lip at the size of it, one of his thicker dildos.

“Thank you, Charlie.” 

Charlie watches, almost in a trance as the Scientist kneels above the toy, lining his entrance over the head of the dildo before he’s sinking down onto it. His eyelids almost flutter shut when he bottoms out, but he doesn’t want to close his eyes, doesn’t want to miss out on watching Charlie. 

Charlie makes a little noise when the Scientist starts rocking his hips, starts moving faster, fucking himself on the toy and the Scientist can see Charlie’s erection straining against his pants. The Scientist feels warm, heat curling low in his belly and it’s just  _too_ much,  _too_ overwhelming and his legs are trembling as he keeps pushing back down against the dildo.

The Scientist has to wrap a hand around his cock when Charlie starts to palm his erection through his jeans, hearing Charlie groan only encourages him to jerk off faster, frantically bouncing on the dildo while his hips buck forward into his own fist.

“Oh–fuck!” Charlie hisses out, rubbing himself more insistently, more firmly, his heavy gaze never straying from the Scientist.

“Charlie– _Oh_ –Charlie, I think I’m going to–” The Scientist breaks off in a loud moan as he orgasms, long ropes of come painting his stomach. He slows down his movements, his chest heaving and collapsing forward onto his elbows, but he keeps pushing back onto the dildo once, twice, three times before the dildo slides out of him completely.

He stays still, lying there as he tries to steady his breathing before he feels a light touch brushing against his temple, hesitant fingers smoothing over his hair. The Scientist smiles, rolling over until his head is resting on top of Charlie’s thigh.

Charlie appears a little flustered, blushing slightly as the Scientist gazes up at him, but he keeps running his fingers through the Scientist’s hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	54. The Scientist Witness Charlie's Butt Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Would you. Be able to talk about the first time the scientist saw Charlie's butt dance?

To say Charlie has a cute butt would be an understatement.

The Scientist finds it very,  _very_ cute.

He keeps such thoughts to himself, of course. Often finds himself distracted, staring a little  _too_ long at the way Charlie’s jeans fit across his ass as he kneels down to pick something up from the floor. The thoughts tend to be  _a lot_  more frequent when Charlie wears his jean shorts.  

Again, the Scientist doesn’t speak a word, never admitting aloud how cute and distracting he finds Charlie’s butt to be. That line of thinking abruptly ends with a quick shake of his head and the Scientist chastise himself for thinking such things of a friend. (Just a friend. Only a good friend. Nothing more even if he so desperately wished for it to be a lot more.)

The first time Charlie shows him his butt dance, the Scientist is stressed and overwhelmed with work. Chewing on an end of a pen as he stares at the documents in his hand. He’s been reading the same sentence for the last ten minutes and his head throbs and he’s just...tired. 

Charlie’s there though, which makes him feel a little better, just by Charlie’s presence alone.  Charlie keeps quiet for the most part, floating around his office, trying not to disturb the Scientist too much, finding things to keep him preoccupied. The Scientist appreciates it and finds it so endearing that his chest aches a little bit.

It hasn’t been the best week for the Scientist. There are times when he just doesn’t feel good enough, his work, his efforts, everything he does is just not  _enough_. It’s mentally draining and exhausting, but he tries to push past the negative thoughts, tries to use it as motivation to strive harder but sometimes he just wants to return to his apartment and lie down on his couch and eat ice cream straight from the container.

He doesn’t know how Charlie knows, but Charlie’s more observant than he lets on or maybe it’s the way the Scientist keeps sighing loudly ever five seconds or how he rubs at his forehead and digs his fingertips into his temples. 

“You okay, dude?” Charlie asks, quietly, a lot lower than his usual volume and the Scientist wonders whether his headache shows on his face.

The Scientist struggles a bit, thinking how much he should say, how much should he admit. How could one phrase,  _“Oh I’m very depressed at the moment and sometimes feel like I’ve lost my life purpose and just want to eat ice cream until I slip into a coma.”_

But with anyone else he would lie, simply assure them that’s nothing’s wrong. Everything okay. But then he realizes that he wouldn’t even need to lie because there’s never been that many people in his life to ask him that question in the first place. That particular thought doesn’t help matters to say the least.

“I’m...Sad.” The Scientist finally settles on and distantly, in a small part of his brain, he realizes just how pathetic that sounds, but again, he doesn’t really mind all that much since it’s Charlie he’s confiding in.

“Oh, man, that blows,” Charlie says with the utmost sincerity. “But I get it. Dude, I’m sad like all that time. That why I huff paint and glue and shit or well I  _used_ to before you helped with that.”

That makes him smile. A reminder that, oh he’s done something worthwhile after all.

“But if you need like cheering up, I have a pretty good idea. I mean--It always makes the gang laugh before Schmitty...” Charlie grumbles.

“Who?”

Charlie shakes his head, smiling once more, “But you’ll love this, watch this!” 

The Scientist pinkens when Charlie turns around with his back facing the Scientist and hikes up his jeans higher around his waist and starts  _wiggling._

It’s not fluid movements, more like jerks of his hips to each side as he chants “Butt. Butt. Butt” repeatedly and it’s more than distracting with the way Charlie’s jeans clings to him, curving around his  _very cute_  butt, however, the Scientist does have to stifle his laughter behind a hand.

Charlie beams when he hears the Scientist giggle, looking over his shoulder with a wide grin, “I’d knew you’d like it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	55. Charlie Gets In A Fight With The Gang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What about it occurring to Charlie that while the Scientist never tells him what to do but always phrases things as suggestions?

Charlie’s still fuming even hours later, long since the fight he had with the gang. After he had screamed and shouted at them and threw his hands in the air and stormed off in the direction of the Scientist’s apartment.

The Scientist didn’t even question it, merely open his door with somewhat surprise to find Charlie hanging outside it. 

“Charlie?”

“Hi,” Charlie says a little sheepishly because he probably should’ve called before just showing up unannounced. He didn’t even know if the Scientist was going to be home or not.

The Scientist takes one look at him and it’s like he  _knows_ like he can see right through him. Charlie probably should care if the Scientist could see through him. If he’s transparent and his guts are out on display for the Scientist to see, but he doesn’t. It should bother him, but it doesn’t.

“Charlie, are you alright? Did something happen?” 

Charlie nods before blurting out, “Can we cuddle?” 

The Scientist gets that surprised look again, blinking several times fast like a hummingbird’s wings. It's distracting, but the Scientist is always distracting. With his long eyelashes and his sharp cheekbones and the way his jaw ticks when he's lost in thought. The Scientist blushes at Charlie's question, the tip of his ears turning pink and Charlie stares at them. He really likes how the Scientist blushes.

"I--I--Of course, come in." The Scientist stutters, opens the door wider, allowing Charlie to cross the threshold and slip right past him to throw himself across the couch. He's not comfortable until the Scientist joins him. As soon as the Scientist sits, Charlie's clinging to him, scooting closer until his body is pressed tightly against the Scientist's side and the Scientist accommodates him instinctively, opening his arms so Charlie can huddle against him and wraps one arm around Charlie's waist. 

It feels nice and warm. His cheek pressing against the Scientist's chest, ear align right next to the Scientist's heart (or at least he thinks so) cause it's so loud and beating slightly fast.  

The Scientist waits and Charlie likes that. He never pushes Charlie to speak, never pressing the issue, not forcing Charlie to talk if he doesn't want to. Unlike the gang who's always asking him questions, always making him do stuff that he doesn't want to do. The Scientist doesn't do that. He does in his own way, but not like how the gang does, instead, he'll give Charlie options, choices of what he _thinks_ Charlie should do but he always lets Charlie decide and doesn't get angry when he doesn't go with the Scientist's suggestions. 

Charlie absently rubs his fingertips across the Scientist's sternum, in little circles over and over again. "You don't tell me what to do." 

The Scientist makes a soft humming noise. "It's not my place to. I never want to force you into doing anything you wouldn't prefer to do yourself, Charlie. No one ever should force you into something you don't want to do."

Charlie smiles into the Scientist's chest at that. There aren't a lot of people who haven't bossed Charlie around, not a whole lot that wouldn't  _want_ to given the opportunity, but the Scientist is something rare, something precious like buried treasure that Charlie managed to discover all on his own. 

"I like when you give me advice though," Charlie whispers. He admits it because it's true, even though Charlie despises when people take away his choices, orders him around, makes him feel like a rat that caught in a wheel, running round and round in circles just for the amusement and benefit of others. The Scientist gives him _more_ choices and he usually goes along with them because when the Scientist offers an alternative option, it just makes sense.

"I think you just like listening to my voice." 

"Yeah, that too." Charlie leans up to plant a quick kiss on the Scientist's jaw. He smiles when he sees the Scientist's eyelashes flutter shut briefly. _Cute_.


	56. The Gang Takes A Bet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I had a prompt! How about Charlie finding out the gang is taking bets on when Scientist will leave him? (But he never would)

Charlie didn't mean to eat all of the cheese in the Scientist's fridge.

That hadn't even been his  _intention._ He only grabbed a few pieces, taking the Scientist's advice to "portion control" so he doesn't wind up sick and vomiting after eating too much, but he couldn't stop thinking and next thing he knows there's a half-empty bag of mozzarella resting on his chest as he sits on the kitchen floor, back against the refrigerator.

He shouldn't even be here since he had been avoiding coming here and the Scientist for almost a week now after their fight.

It had been a bad one too, one of the worst fights they've ever had. There weren't any cruel words hurled at each other nor any slammed doors in faces, in fact, there hadn't been much noise at all. No yelling or screaming, but the disappointment in the Scientist's expression had been deafening, the silent echoes that seem to taunt Charlie, whispering the words the Scientist hadn't said, refused to say. Charlie instantly regretted it, the moment the words tumbled out of his mouth and saw the Scientist winced and the hurt flashing across his face.

The Scientist hadn't kicked Charlie out, but Charlie hadn't stuck around too long after, hightailing it out of the Scientist's apartment. He was still too angry to apologize, mainly with himself, but a little bit at the Scientist too. He hates when they fight like this because the Scientist just stops talking and the Scientist _always_ wants to discuss everything, which totally wasn't a bad thing because it cut down on a lot of miscommunication between them. They had avoided a lot of misunderstandings because the Scientist chooses to talk it out instead of letting it wallow and sit, morphing bigger each day until it destroyed their relationship.

He had let himself inside with the key that the Scientist has given him, so really he's not breaking and entering. He _had_ been hoping the Scientist was here, cause he misses the Scientist and a whole week passing without seeing him is too much for Charlie, especially when he knows that the Scientist is upset with him. He hadn't actually planned on returning so early either, but he keeps hearing the gang's voices, repeating over and over again in his head, the words he clearly wasn't meant to hear and now his brain is screaming at him and he feels like huffing and pulling at his hair until it comes out, but he ignores the urge to do either one of those things.

So he eats cheese instead.

The Scientist doesn't even appear too surprised finding Charlie sitting on the floor of his kitchen. He actually looks almost relieved, like he's  _pleased_ to see Charlie and that makes Charlie's chest feel tight. It could be indigestion from all the cheese though. 

"Hi." 

The Scientist smiles a little, shrugging off his coat and folding it over a chair and before Charlie can even register what he's doing, the Scientist is squatting, taking a seat beside Charlie on the floor. He gets that feeling again in his chest, like his heart's beating too fast, fluttering like a bird. Is there a bird inside him? No. He'd remember if there was, but then again he _does_  always forget about the pigeon when he keeps it in his jacket and that never turns out well. 

"I wanted to huff." Charlie starts and he probably should be starting differently, maybe with an apology but it's too late now so he keeps going. "But I didn't."

The Scientist nods, eyeing the bag of cheese draped over Charlie's chest, he doesn't say anything about it. "I'm very proud of you, Charlie. What made you want to if you don't mind me asking." 

Charlie doesn't because it the most he has heard out of the Scientist all week and he just wants the Scientist to keep talking and talking because that makes it easier to pretend that they never fought in the first place. 

But the next words are hard to get out. Charlie has to take a few minutes, bracing himself, "So--So my friends are taking a bet..."

"A bet?" The Scientist forehead crinkles, deep lines across that makes Charlie want to reach out and smooth them over, but he doesn't. Another urge to ignore.

"Yeah...Over when you're gonna--" Charlie's voice breaks a little and he hates himself even more at how pathetic he must sound, "Uh--over when you're going to leave...me." 

"Oh, Charlie..."

Charlie smiles, but it felt more like a grimace than a smile, he wasn't really in the mood to smile to be perfectly honest. "And--And then when they found out about our fight...Dennis said that I'm making things easy for him and that he'll be winning the bet soon." 

"I can't predict the future--"

"That _would_ be cool though if you could." Charlie interrupts before he could stop himself.

"Perhaps..." The Scientist actually considers his words seriously which makes Charlie likes him even more. He does that, take Charlie seriously unlike most people, "Although I'm sure there are a lot of negative aspects knowing too much of one's own fate." 

Charlie's disagrees about that but he doesn't interrupt again. Instead, he makes a doubtful humming noise and he hears the Scientist chuckle briefly before he continues, "I can't predict the future, however, I _do_ know that I'm not planning on leaving you, not over some silly argument. People fight, Charlie, we'll fight sometimes, that's to be expected, but that doesn't mean we can't work to figure it out."

That sounds good, maybe it's just because the Scientist is saying it, but he likes the sound of it. Them making it work even if they fight, almost like him and the gang. Shit happens all the time and they just move on although they usually get their revenge on each other, he won't have to worry about that with the Scientist cause they can just talk it out.  

"...I'm sorry by the way for the--the things I said before. I didn't mean them." 

"That's alright, Charlie...I'm sorry too." 

"Can I kiss you?" Charlie asks suddenly, swallowing as his eye flickers down to the Scientist's mouth. He doesn't even really like kissing, but kissing the Scientist was different. It was nice _, delightful_ as the Scientist would say and made his chest feel all warm and gooey. 

The Scientist nods, his lips curving into a smile and Charlie leans forward to feel the smile against his mouth. The Scientist pulls back quickly, breaking the kiss much too short for Charlie's liking.

"You taste like cheese, darling." 

Charlie blushes, "Oh, sorry." 

The Scientist gives him an almost thoughtful look, "On second thought, I don't think I mind all that much," He shrugs once before he's curling a hand around Charlie's neck and tugging him back, capturing his mouth in another kiss. 

 


	57. The Scientist And Charlie Adopts A Pirate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you please tackle Charlie and scientist getting a cat?!? Thanks!

Charlie had been surprisingly quiet when they reached the animal shelter.

The Scientist was curious, he's always curious, about what was going on inside Charlie's brain. Charlie's unpredictable to say the least, a wildcard as his friends has described, but after awhile the Scientist began to anticipate Charlie's reactions, but sometimes the Scientist is just as clueless as the next person. Although he does feel like he's got an upper hand compared to anyone else and that makes his chest tingly and warm because Charlie knows him _just as intimately_ as he knows Charlie. The two people who knows- _understands_ \- each other better than anyone else in their lives.

It had been a surprise for Charlie's birthday, something the Scientist had planned for weeks in advance, he had brought all the proper necessities for a cat: a litter box, toys, collar and tucked them away in a closet, hidden out of view for Charlie's wandering eyes. He's honestly shocked that Charlie hadn't discovered the items.

His silence now was a stark contrast to when the Scientist had shown Charlie his purchase earlier, the loud exuberance radiating off of him when he realized exactly what they were, he had been confused briefly, "Why do you have a bunch of cat stuff-" His eyes widening, jerking his head up, meeting the Scientist's eyes, "We're getting a cat?!?" 

The Scientist knows Charlie's lost in deep concentration as they strolled along the cages, peering inside at each cat.

"I want them all..." Charlie stretched out his arms along the cages, fingers curling around the bars, leaning forward to gaze at one of the felines forlornly. 

The Scientist, too, wanted to adopt all of them, but realistically he knew how overwhelming that would be for _both_ of them, plus he doesn't think their apartment has the space for twenty cats. 

"Well, we can always adopt more at a later time." The Scientist tries to offer as a consolation.

"Really?"

"I don't see why not if everything pans out with the first adoption." 

They end up adopting an orange single-eyed tabby cat. It was love at first sight for Charlie. Although the Scientist was equally pleased with the choice, Charlie was entirely smitten with the cat as soon as he heard the backstory for the poor feline from a helpful worker. It immediately clicks when the Scientist saw the look on Charlie's face. This was the cat they were getting.

They got him quickly settled at their apartment once filling the proper paperwork and paying the adoption fee. They also make a quick stop to the vet, just for a checkup, luckily a smooth trip for all parties involved. 

He was a little amused watching Charlie lie flat on his stomach on the floor of their living room, chin propped on his forearms, observing the orange tabby intensely as the cat roams, making itself acquainted with its new surroundings. 

"Pirate," Charlie announces out of the blue.

"Hm?" 

"I think his name should be pirate." Charlie clarifies, still staring at the cat as it creeps closer to Charlie, not moving an inch so he doesn't startle the feline away. 

The Scientist smiles to himself as Charlie reaches out, cautiously extending his fingers for the cat to sniff at his knuckles. "I think that's a wonderful name."


	58. The Gang Gives The Scientist A List

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: So after Charlie starts making healthy changes and the gang realizes it's because the Scientist has been helping him, I feel like they would try to give him a list of things to "fix" about Charlie

"What is this." The Scientist voices aloud, flatly, peering down at the wrinkled paper that shoved into his hand. 

"I thought you're supposed to be like some genius?" Mac frowns at him, "How can you not understand this? It's a _list_."

Dennis tuts, patting Mac's forearm, "Now, hold on a minute, Mac. Let the man have a second to read it first and let's be honest here 'genius' is a bit of a stretch. You can't just listen to what Charlie says as the truth." 

If the Scientist wasn't too preoccupied blushing at the fact that Charlie apparently went around proclaiming he's a _genius,_ he would be a bit offended by Dennis statement. Instead, his face heats up as his eyes scan over the paper, reading each dotted item.

"Yes, I gathered as much, Mr. McDonald. What I don't understand is why I'm being given this list?"

It was always an experience with Charlie's gang. He doesn't visit Paddy's often just for the very reason, but he's supposed to meet Charlie here and immediately was ambushed by Charlie's friends the second he sat down on one of the stools near the bar. It's his fault, really, blaming his anxiety on needing to be punctual and fear of being late. He could have entirely avoided this interaction.

"Right." Mac starts, clapping his hands together, "So you somehow got Charlie to start bathing and shit, which is pretty impressive, dude. I mean we've been trying for years to get him to start taking showers or brush his teeth, but he just ignored us."

"It is an impressive feat," Dennis nods, agreeing, "But we feel like your work isn't done just yet. Charlie's...a work in progress."

Mac's eyes widen, repeating Dennis's words. "Right! Charlie's a work in progress."

"So we thought to make it easier for _you,_  we came up with some of our own suggestions that you can help Charlie improve on." Denis slides onto the neighboring stool, next to the Scientist's, tapping the edge of the paper with a finger.

"You...You want me to help you manipulate someone I deeply care about?" 

"Well, no. When you say it like _that-_." Mac tries, but the Scientist quickly interrupts, shaking his head in slight revulsion at their behavior.

"I believe you two are misconstruing my relationship with Charlie. I didn't force nor manipulate him into changing his habits. Charlie decided to do that all on his own." Sure the Scientist had told Charlie the benefits of performing proper hygiene, but other than that, he never told Charlie he had to change for him. 

Luckily the Scientist didn't have to listen to Dennis and Mac's arguments or sly comments about how he's got the wrong idea, still trying to get the Scientist on board, Charlie soon arrived and the Scientist has never been so relieved to see Charlie. 

Charlie smiles when he first spots the Scientist, before his gaze falls onto the paper still in his hand, "Hey, what's that?" 

"Nothing important." The Scientist crumples the paper, dropping it back into Dennis's hands. 


	59. Charlie Turns British

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: COULD YOU MAYBE DO SOMETHING ABOUT CHARLIE TRYING TO SOUND CLASSY AND BRITISH LIKE HIS CLASSY AND BRITISH BF?

He likes the way the Scientist talks.

Maybe Charlie's just used to hearing American accents, but everything sounds _better_ when the Scientist says it. The way words roll off his tongue, dipping and rising on certain syllables. The musicality of it. It reminds Charlie of a melody, a soft one, one he could play on his keyboard.

It's regal sounding. A voice of high class, belonging to someone that Charlie would never expect to enjoy the likes of him or even desire his company. So sometimes, _just_ sometimes _,_ when Charlie wants to up his class, he tends to slip into a British accent. Although sometimes he doesn't do it on purpose, Charlie just tends to mix up pronunciations, copying the way the Scientist say a certain word he hadn't known how to pronounce before the Scientist taught him instead of the way how the gang would say it. 

The first time it happened when Charlie first slipped into speaking with his accent, the Scientist had laughed. One of those barks of laughter where he tossed his head back, eyes fluttering shut. His giggles had egged Charlie on, causing him to continue to speak with a British accent, grinning at the Scientist's cute reaction. 

The Scientist tries to speak through his laughter, covering his mouth with a hand to stifle them. "Charlie, why are you speaking like _that?"_

"Wanna sound classy for you, dude." Charlie switched back to his regular voice, still smiling.

The Scientist's eyes soften, "I happen to like your voice the way it is, Charlie."

"You do?"

"Very much so, yes."

"Huh."


	60. The Scientist Invites Charlie As His Plus One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you write about the scientist getting an invite somewhere and realizing that for the first time in ages he has a plus one?

It has been a long time since the Scientist brought a date with him to an event, in fact, the Scientist doesn't even remember the last time he could think of someone on the top of his head that could join him as his plus one. _If_ there has ever been such a time.

He hated it when he received that slip of paper, an invitation with the words scribbled in some fancy font along the bottom, staring back at him, mocking him because he always checks the option: " _No plus one._ " Even worse the pity he receives when he has to say " _No, I won't be bringing anyone_."  to go to some work event he has to attend. Eventually, people stop asking if anyone will be joining him. His co-workers know that he's alone. Which frankly, makes the Scientist feel even worse.

So when the opportunity arises, he leaps at it, giddy with excitement because for the first time since _ever_ the Scientist has someone in his life. A plus one. _His plus one._ There's no dread in the pit of his stomach at seeing those words on the invitation that he's grown used forming ever time he's invited somewhere. The only nerves he gets is asking Charlie if he would like to join him for the evening, which is unfound for when Charlie eagerly agrees.

Charlie's more surprised that the Scientist _wants_ him to be his plus one.

"Of course, I do." The Scientist admits with a blush, cradling Charlie's hand gently in his own as he ducks his gaze, a little shy for the words that follow, "I've...I've never had anyone to go with before...until-until you, that is. It would mean a great deal to me if you would join me."

Charlie smiles at him, something exceedingly softer than his usual wild grins, crinkling his eyes. Charlie nods, breaking out of the Scientist's hold on his hand only to lace their fingers together. 

"I'd do anything for you," Charlie confesses quietly. 

 _Oh_. The Scientist thinks, swallowing, breathing quickening at such an overwhelming admission. He's not used to such affections, never ones that have been directed towards _him_. He's unable to look away from Charlie as he begins to ramble about the possibilities of the event. Will there be food? _Will there be cheese?_ Oh,will he have to wear one of those fancy suits? What about a bowtie, he kinda wants to wear a bowtie since they're classy. 

The Scientist can only smile at him, squeezing his hand before answering his questions one by one, grinning at Charlie's enthusiasm. 

 


	61. Charlie Finds Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Would you be willing to write Charlie telling the Scientist he always hoped he'd meet someone like him? Not necessarily believed but hoped.

Charlie had always known he's different. He had spent his entire life hearing it.

_"Charlie, you're so fucking stupid."_

_"Charlie, you can't be seriously eating that. That's disgusting."_

_"Ew, Charlie, really?"_

_"Look at dirtgrub!"_

It doesn't bother him, not really, or he pretends it doesn't. A lot of time he doesn't even remember what words and appalled expressions had been tossed his way, usually vanishing in a puff of smoke or drowned away with _a lot_ of alcohol. 

But it always had been him and everyone else, separated by some invisible line that Charlie could never cross and could never find someone else on _his_ side. 

He had spent his entire life searching though. Late nights curled up in his bed, thinking that maybe, maybe one day he'd meet someone, a person who gets him, who understands his differences between him and everyone else. Who maybe is a little different too.

Then the Scientist came along. 

He didn't understand Charlie completely, often left confused by Charlie's behavior, but that didn't mean he refused to try to understand Charlie's reasoning behind his actions. He put in an effort to learn, which is more than Charlie could ever say about anyone else.

The Scientist had been lonely too, Charlie knew that from the stories the Scientist would share about his childhood. How he didn't have many friends. He understood that, that loneliness and what it's like to be different.

"I used to-uh-dream about meeting someone like you," Charlie admits one afternoon in the midst of painting the Scientist.

The Scientist startles at the sudden confession, shifting from the position he's been stuck in for the last ten minutes. "Don't move!" Charlie warns. The Scientist quickly settles back into place. 

He doesn't speak for a few seconds, seconds that seem to drag on forever, that had Charlie worrying his bottom lip, fretting over what the Scientist must be thinking over his words.

"You dreamt about me?" 

Charlie breathes out, not realizing he had been holding his breath. He ducks his face behind the canvas. He doesn't think he can look at the Scientist when he continues speaking. "Kinda. I always hoped I'd meet someone who got me, understands me, and-and you do. More than anyone else ever has. I never thought I'd find that." 

" _Charlie_..." The Scientist says thick with emotion, in such a way that makes Charlie meet his gaze, to peek out from behind the canvas. 

"I've always hoped I'd meet someone like you as well."


	62. Charlie's Voice And The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you write something where Charlie is embarrassed at how his voice sounds sometimes but Scientist thinks it suits Charlie perfectly and is just one more part of how unique and adorable he is?

Charlie screeches. Shrieks. He knows he's _loud_. That sometimes his voices climbs, reaches high peaks that threaten to make his ears bleed and his throat aching. He's aware of the fact, something he's reminded frequently by the gang who tries to immediate quiet him down, to use his _inside_   _voice_ instead.

He hates it sometimes. It's not his fault though, you can't change your voice no matter how much you try. No matter how much you want to. Charlie hates the loss of control he has over it. How it breaks in the wrong moments, how it never seems to lower regardless of how he whispers. Always high-pitched and squeaky. It gets worse when he's anger or overly excited. Almost as if it's tied to his emotions, the stronger they get the louder he is.

He almost doesn't believe the Scientist when he tells him that he likes Charlie's voice. Almost. He's unable to wrap his head around it. He simply cannot fathom anyone possibly enjoying listening to _his_ voice. But the Scientist doesn't lie, always tells the truth because it matters. It's important he says. That's the only reason Charlie believes the Scientist when he compliments his voice.

Even so, Charlie still gets embarrassed about his voice, when he gets so loud that he winces at the volume of his own voice.

"Why?" Charlie asks the Scientist one day when it's quiet in their apartment. He whispers, head resting against the Scientist's shoulders as they sit together on the couch. His fingers tapping against the Scientist's chest like he playing his piano, a soundless tune. 

"Hm?" 

"Why do you-Why do you like my voice? It's...It's-" Charlie struggles to think of the word the Scientist had used earlier to describe something else, "It's insufferable." 

The Scientist shakes his head. "It's far from insufferable, Charlie. I quite enjoy listening to you speak." 

"Why though?" Charlie squints at him.

The Scientist is quiet for a second, pulling away to look at Charlie directly. He reaches up with his hand, trailing his fingertips along the side of Charlie's throat, tracing unseen arteries. Charlie swallows loudly and it seems to echo in the silent room.

"Because it suits you." The Scientist finally murmurs. "It's distinctive and unique not unlike yourself, but mostly, it belongs to you, how could I possibly dislike anything that's a part of you." 

"Oh..." Charlie mumbles and he thinks that's a good enough reason. His face is a bit warm, heat rushing upwards, invading his cheeks with a bright blush. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love charlie day's voice


	63. Charlie And The Scientist Goes To The Beach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Charlie really liked Jersey Shore in 7x02 (not just 'cos of the waitress) and so the Scientist decides to take him back to the beach for a proper vacation!

It wasn't exactly charming as the Scientist had pictured when Charlie first told him about the beach. He was expecting something else, to say the least. More people and a lot less stray canines. 

Still, he couldn't exactly complain, not when Charlie was beaming, running circles around him, kicking up sand. This was clearly a place he loves and the Scientist could ignore the quirky aspects of the beach just to see Charlie smile. He could find the beauty in a place like this even if Charlie was the only thing that made the setting beautiful.

"Europe's just on the other side." Charlie lifts the hand resting on the Scientist's bare chest to point at the horizon. "I wanted to swim to Europe but Dennis wouldn't let me."

It's warm, the sun beating down on them. The Scientist doesn't want to move an inch, let their bodies, tangled together, lie there until it leaves imprints in the sand. Outlines of their shapes forever embedded in the fine grain. 

"I'm not sure one could survive such a journey." The Scientist says thoughtfully, tilting his head to the side to peer over at Charlie who begins to frown. 

"Yeah," Charlie sighs defeated, "Guess you're right."

"Although...You could always try a boat instead with the right supplies, of course." 

Charlie perks up, "We could buy a boat! Would you sail away to Europe with me?" 

"Of course, darling. I'd go anywhere with you." 

Charlie blushes at his words and it's _distracting._ The Scientist loses himself, eyes wandering over Charlie's face, following the flushed skin down to his chest where his freckles seem to stand out more under the heat of the sun. Abruptly, the Scientist is quite grateful there were no other visitors at the beach today, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to tackle Charlie into the sand, rolling them over until he was hovering above Charlie, propped up by his hands placed on each side of Charlie's head.

Charlie stares up at him, wide green eyes with a hint of a mischievous grin appearing at the corners of his mouth. "You gonna kiss me, Doc?" 

So the Scientist does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to the Mamma Mia soundtrack while writing this aksdjfhaksdfjhak


	64. Charlie Takes Care Of The Scientist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Aw man how bout one where Charlie helps scientist at a low point/ scientist playing chardee macdennis

Getting the Scientist drunk hadn't been Charlie's intention.

Getting him pleasantly buzzed enough to see him smile again definitely _was_ his intention. A night out to a bar, a couple of those fruity drinks the Scientist loves (and Charlie likes to because hey, they _were_ delicious and the Scientist's mouth ends up tasting like strawberries.) The Scientist is typically a happy drunk too, an almost goofy looking grin plastered on his face, warm glazed-over brown eyes staring up at him that makes Charlie's heart quicken. He gets a little handsy too, a little clingy, but Charlie doesn't mind that either.

Only this time, the Scientist wasn't happy, wasn't smiling after a few drinks. He doesn't even order his usual either, instead straight whiskey that he downs in one gulp. It's impressive because Charlie didn't even know the Scientist _like_ whiskey, he doesn't even grimace at the burn either. Charlie nurses a single beer, taking small sips because the Scientist was getting wasted and someone had to drive them home. 

Charlie cuts in after so many drinks when the Scientist's words begin to slur and his head drops into his hands, a defeated demeanor. 

"C'mon, big guy. Time to get you home." Charlie ushers him out of his seat, slings an arm around the Scientist's waist out of the bar.

It takes a while to get back to their apartment, mainly because the Scientist was _heavy,_ leaning against Charlie, clinging onto him while Charlie tried to unlock the door. The Scientist is making soft noises under his breath, whispering, but Charlie can't make out what he's saying. 

"Charlie." The Scientist stops him once Charlie gets him in bed, slipping off the Scientist's shoes before placing them in their usual spot in the closet. Charlie sits on the edge on the mattress, waiting for the Scientist to continue.

"Why-" He hiccups, "Why are you even with me? I'm a-I'm a fraud." 

"What?" Charlie laughs at his dramatics.

The Scientist places a finger against Charlie's mouth, smashing his lips a little which only makes it harder for Charlie not to smile. "Don't-Don't _laugh_ at me."

Charlie tries not to chuckle at his indignant tone.

"You...You think I'm very intelligent, that I'm smart, but I'm not! I'm a failure!" 

"You're the smartest guy I know." Charlie tugs the Scientist's hand away from his mouth, linking their fingers together. "You're a genius, dude, but that's not why I'm with you." 

The Scientist sniffles, "It's not?"

"No," Charlie shakes his head, "I'm with you because you make me happy. You're the only person that...that gets me. I-I love you."

"Oh." The Scientist says softly. 

After a moment of reflection, the Scientist repeats, "I love you too." 

Charlie raises the Scientist's hand, bringing it back to his mouth one more time before kissing it.

 


	65. Charlie And The Scientist Dances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: could you possibly write one where Charlie and the scientist are showing each other some of their favorite songs and they end up just dancing together in their apartment alone but they couldn’t be happier

Charlie tilts his head to the side, squinting at the Scientist who's sitting on the couch, stroking the orange tabby resting on his lap. "Wait, are you joking? You never heard of 'Psycho Killer' by The Talking Heads?"

The Scientist shakes his head, a little amused at Charlie theatrics. "I'm afraid not."

"Oh dude, we gotta change that like immediately, hold on for a second." Charlie quickly turns, disappearing down the hallway. He's gone for a few minutes before he returns with a stereo perched on top his shoulder. "You ready for this?" 

Charlie hits a button and music begins to flood the room. The Scientist watches as Charlie starts bobbing his head to the rhythm, but it's not until the song reaches its chorus that Charlie starts to dance and sing along. He almost looks like he's a rockstar performing on a stage, pointing to the crowd-albeit small-consisting of one measly audience member and a cat, but nonetheless, he gets really into it which tugs the corner of the Scientist's mouth into a smile.

"What do you think?" Charlie pants once the song finishes, looking expectantly at the Scientist. 

"I like it. It's rather catchy." 

Charlie grins, pleased with his response before flopping down beside him on the sofa, reaching out almost immediately to pet the tabby. "What's your favorite song?" 

"Oh, I don't know."

"C'mon, dude, you gotta have like that _one_ song that makes you wanna dance." 

The Scientist thinks for a second, "Well, there is one song-"

"Hah! I knew it!" 

He smiles, "It's not as fast paced as your song though. Would you like to listen to it?" 

Charlie nods eagerly so the Scientist pulls his phone from his pocket and queues up the song. The soft sounds of 'La Vie En Rose' start spilling out from the speaker. Charlie listens for a bit before he turns to the Scientist, "This makes you want to dance?"

The Scientist blushes slightly, nodding. He places his phone onto the coffee table, standing before holding out his hand for Charlie to take. "It does, but I never had a partner to dance with before."

Charlie stares at his hand for a second, a small smile forming on his face. He accepts the Scientist's hand, letting him pull him from the couch and away, leading him to the middle of the living room. 

The Scientist tugs him close, Charlie yields to the movement, placing his head against the Scientist's shoulder as they begin to sway to the music.

"It suits you." Charlie decides, whispering in the Scientist's ear "It's classy."

The Scientist's eyes slide shut, fluttering close, remembering all the times he listened to this song before alone, longing for a partner to dance with. Charlie fits in his arms perfectly.


	66. Charlie Dines Out (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: hi hello u already know i gotta come thru with the nsfw prompt. after watching the latest episode where charlie plays the sex doll’s asshole, i cant stop thinking about charlie rimming someone, such as science bitch mayhaps?

He’s burning, set ablaze with a single match, his spine scalding, tingling with every messy open-mouthed kiss Charlie left. 

Charlie’s heated breath came out in pants against his skin. Almost hitched, unsteady, as the Scientist feels the mattress shake with each roll of Charlie’s hips, working his hips slowly against the bed as he kisses down the Scientist’s naked back.

He’s expecting him to stop once his lips meet the top of his ass, expecting Charlie to return to the nape of his neck and start all over again. Except Charlie doesn’t move upwards, instead sinks further below, placing an almost  _too_ delicate kiss over the small dip between his last vertebra and the start of the crease along his ass.

The Scientist startles,  _“Charlie! What are you doing?”_

“Shh, it’s okay. I wanna make you feel good.” 

“Y–You already do–” The Scientist tries to speak, tries to tell him that  _this_ was unnecessary, but all that comes out is a weak moan when Charlie begins peppering his ass with kisses all over. His scratchy beard brushing over his skin, igniting every nerve. 

No one has done this to him before, past lovers too disgusted with the thought to try it. He doesn’t blame them, of course, would never force anyone to do anything they didn’t wish to, but it didn’t stop the sting of disappointment. The embarrassment that always follows after inquiring for such a thing to be done to him. He has gotten used to this rejection, to the point where he stopped asking in the first place. 

But as with everything Charlie does, he doesn’t hold back. Not with this. Always eager to try something new, never tentative or unsure, just dives right in, jumping into the deep waters instead of tiptoeing along the shallow end. He cups the Scientist’s ass with both hands and spreads his cheeks apart.

The Scientist gasps loudly. It seems to echo against the four walls of their bedroom, deafening compare to the quiet. He always wonders how this might feel, but never thought he’d feel so  _exposed_ , so _vulnerable_  under Charlie’s burning gaze.

He peeks over his shoulder. Charlie looks up, catching his eye, his pupils blown wide, all the green and blue hues vanished, temporarily gone, consumed by lust. 

“Don’t worry, Doc,” Charlie assures him. His pink tongue quickly swiping over his lower lip. “I’m gonna take care of you. Make you feel so good. Promise.” 

He jerks when Charlie spits, his aim accurate, hitting his twitching rim. He descends, his breath cool against the drying saliva and the Scientist moans even louder as Charlie begins, careful little licks over his entrance quickly turning into more confident strokes of his tongue.

His body shakes and trembles, slowly becoming undone by Charlie’s mouth. It’s sloppy and messy and slick, something that the Scientist isn’t surprised by in the slightest, a usual occurrence for them. Every brush of Charlie’s beard, rough, rubbing against the back of his thighs as he sucks, working his tongue inside him.

The Scientist pushes back against his mouth, dropping his head against the soft pillow, muffling his cries as Charlie fucks him with his tongue.

_“Charlie!”_ The Scientist shouts when Charlie wiggles a spit-soaked finger inside him. Charlie pants when he pulls away, trying to catch his breath, dropping his cheek to rest against the Scientist’s ass, finger knuckle-deep, still pushing in and out of his pliant ring of muscle. 

“You taste so fucking good. I – _fuck_ –never wanna stop.” 

“ _Please–Oh_ ,  _please don’t stop!_ ” The Scientist babbles.

Charlie shushes him again, lifting his head and gently rubbing his free hand over the Scientist ass, trying to soothe him. Calm him down. A familiar gesture that he, himself, has done before to Charlie.

Another thick finger joins, along with his tongue, and it completely unravels the Scientist. His hips moving back and forth, rubbing his erection against the sheets, and then pushing eagerly against Charlie’s digits and tongue. 

He comes with a loud shout, exploding white spurts of semen over the sheets beneath him. He keeps fucking himself back against Charlie’s mouth through his orgasm, Charlie’s pace never faltering, just clutches the Scientist’s hip with one hand to keep him in place. 

The Scientist breathing eases into something lighter, his chest no longer heaving, limbs heavy. His spent cock twitches pitifully as Charlie keeps licking over his entrance, little flicks of his tongue. The Scientist whines, but it feels too good to stop just yet, even though he’s overstimulated, he wants Charlie to continue.

The springs of the mattress creaks as Charlie starts humping the bed with more force, tongue still in the Scientist’s ass. Finally, with a groan, Charlie’s movements stutter to a halt. Neither one moves right away, unable to, but eventually, Charlie lifts himself up, running his fingertips over the furious red marks on Scientist’s ass from his beard.

“Want me to get the lotion?” Charlie asks.

“Please, but first, come here.” 

Charlie leans over him, eagerly meets the Scientist’s lips, kissing him deeply despite the awkward angle with the Scientist having to twist his neck. Charlie is the first to pull away, albeit with great reluctance. 

“Thank you, Charlie.” The scientist steals another quick kiss, “That was wonderful.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REQUESTS ARE OPEN AGAIN. Please send prompts to my tumblr, http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	67. Charlie And The Vampire (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The gang has a halloween party at paddys, the science bitch being charlies plus one, and he gets oddly turned on by science's vamp costume and they bang in the bathroom stalls

“Charlie.” The Scientist laughs, a smooth and low chuckle that Charlie has deemed to be his favorite noise ever since he heard the Scientist laughed for the first time. (Although…There were other noises that the Scientist makes that arguably could be a contender for first place, ones that only Charlie get to hear.) 

He laughs again as they push their way through the crowded bar. “I just got here, slow down.” 

Despite this, he doesn’t release Charlie’s hand, doesn’t unentwined their fingers, instead he squeezes back when Charlie tightens his grip.

The restroom’s empty, thankfully, when they slip inside. Thrums of music and conversations growing faint and muffled as soon Charlie shuts the door, locking it which catches the Scientist’s attention. He starts to open his mouth and Charlie knows he’s about to ask several questions, but when Charlie turns around and pushes him against the wall, the Scientist’s mouth falls shut, throat muscles visibly working as he swallows.

“Wanna get a look at you, dude.” 

The second the Scientist walked into the bar, Charlie  _had_ to get him alone. He hadn’t thought the Scientist would dress up, but he’d promise Charlie he would and the Scientist always kept his promises. 

He didn’t disappoint. 

A dark cape rested along his shoulders, thin rope clasped together in a loose knot in the front, just resting below his pale throat. Slight stubble from neglecting to shave for a few days. His usually curly hair slicked back. Warm brown eyes surrounded in dark shadows, shimmery flecks of glitter clinging to his eyelids. Charlie recognizes the makeup, something Dennis taught him, sometimes using it himself if he’s in the mood. Plastic fangs protruding from his mouth, slightly plumping his upper lip. 

“Charlie?” The Scientist’s voice is barely above a whisper. A slight slur to his words from trying to speak wearing the fake fangs, but Charlie understands him clearly. 

He blushes and vampires don’t blush, Charlie knows that much, not such a rosy color flooding his face as Charlie looks him over. He also knows that vampires aren’t so warm as he slips his hands under the Scientist’s billowing white shirt, feeling his firm chest.

“I take it you approve of the costume.” 

Charlie can only nod, chewing on his lower lip, staring at the Scientist’s mouth. He runs his fingertips over the Scientist’s mouth, his thumb catching on one of the fangs. He licks his lips, wondering how it might feel if the Scientist really did have fangs to sink down and bite him.

He moans at the thought, bucking his hips forward, pressing up against the Scientist, who takes him in his arms, curling a hand around the nape of Charlie’s neck. 

Their mouths knock together, a hunger in their kisses that unravels them both, a desperation between them. The plastic fangs fall onto the sticky floor of the restroom, completely forgotten, as the Scientist spins them around, flipping their positions. Palms splayed flat against the wall, each one besides Charlie’s head his chest heaving as he takes deep breaths. He only pauses when he hears footsteps approaching them. 

“We…We’re going to have to unlock the door.” 

“But–” Charlie starts to protest, but the Scientist shakes his head, pushing off to unlock the door. He takes Charlie’s hand when he returns by his side, dragging him into one of the stalls and locking it behind them. He pins Charlie against the door, slipping his thigh between Charlie’s leg. 

He doesn’t waste any time, grinding himself against the Scientist’s graciously offered leg. 

 _“Please.”_ Charlie hears himself whines, not recognizing his own raspy voice,  _“Please.”_

“I’m not…I’m not going to f–fuck you, Charlie, not here.” 

Charlie shakes his head, as much as he would like  _that_ , that’s not what he needs at the moment. He doesn’t know how to get the words out, that lodge in his throat, stuck there. He doesn’t know how to form the syllables.

He lets his actions speak for him, rolling his head to the side, baring his throat for the Scientist.

The Scientist’s breath hitches, “ _Charlie_.” 

He dips his head, mouth brushing against Charlie’s throat, kissing the flesh. He doesn’t bite down, not yet, teases with his teeth instead, nipping gently and sucking a bruise along his throat. Charlie keeps humping his thigh, growing more urgent as he feels a familiar sensation building in his belly. Warm and tingling. 

Charlie hisses at the pain when the Scientist finally bites down on his throat, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to send him spiraling over the edge. His hips bucking, stuttering in rhythm as he comes. 

It doesn’t take much for the Scientist to come either, Charlie slips his hand inside the Scientist’s trousers, jerks him off a couple times before he’s groaning and coming. 

Charlie grins at him, hand touching the rapidly forming bruise on his throat. 

“Did I hurt you?” The Scientist frowns at the purple mark, running his thumb over it. Charlie shakes his head, standing on his tiptoes to quickly kiss the Scientist on the cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	68. The Scientist Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could you write something really soft where like the scientist falls asleep on Charlie and so Charlie doesn't know what to do since he's so touchstarved

The Scientist touches him freely, without reserve, no hesitation.

There’s no disgust. No grimaces when he takes Charlie’s hand, not even when he tugs Charlie closer to him, pulls him onto his lap and let Charlie’s nose finds rest in the crook of his shoulder and neck. 

He’s not used to it. This kind of affection. Not yet. Not so early in their relationship. 

Sure, the gang hugs him sometimes or slaps him on his shoulder when he does something right, but it’s uncommon and never last for too long. As if the gang doesn’t want to touch him, afraid that if they linger they might contract some disease from him. They pull away too quickly with their nose wrinkled and mouths curled with disgust. 

The Scientist doesn’t seem to mind if his shirt’s filthy, caked with dirt and grime from doing Charlie’s Work. Doesn’t seem to care if there’s an odor that clings to him. (Although it’s less often that Charlie shows up at his apartment like that though, he bathes more frequently, taking care of himself at the Scientist’s advice, even though the Scientist doesn’t seem to mind touching him one way or the other. Charlie just likes smelling good for him.)

“Doc…” Charlie whispers, nudging the weight settled atop of him. The Scientist doesn’t answer, snores quietly, completely out of it. 

He had come home late from work, dragging his feet, barely shrugs his jacket off and hanging it up on the coat rack before he was crashing onto their sofa, pulling Charlie down first, before lying down with him.

Charlie made a noise, but not one of protest, because he didn’t particularly mind this, it was one made out of uncertainty. His hands hovered in the air as the Scientist settled against him, mostly on top of him, before falling asleep. Charlie didn’t know what he was supposed to do. 

Finally, he carefully lays his palm flat against the Scientist’s back. So gentle as if he’s laying cheese down into a rat trap. He doesn’t want to wake him, not when he was dozing off so peacefully. His breath comes and goes, warm against Charlie’s neck. Charlie likes it, the sensation, the weight on top him, it steadies him. 

He sweeps his palm across the Scientist’s back, following the path of his spine and up again. His hand tingles from the fabric of the Scientist’s shirt, his chest heavy with the Scientist’s weight. He does what it’s slowly becoming familiar to, repeating the things the Scientist does to calm him down, rubbing his back, his shoulders, kissing the top of his head.

Charlie’s not used to this, but it feels right. It feels like walking into Paddy’s. Feels like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	69. Charlie Makes Halloween Costumes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: For the charbitch prompt thing, how about: "You need to go to bed, It's 3AM!" Or something along those lines?

There’s a slight humming noise coming outside their bedroom walls. It’s muffled. Consistent, repetitive sounds of machinery whirring, clicking off every soon often, before picking back up.

The Scientist follows the noise, sleepily shuffling his feet into their living room, ready to face what lies on the other side. 

He blinks, blearily rubs the sleep from his eyes to no avail as he tries to take in the scene in front of him. Discarded fabric over the living room floor, covering most of their coffee table along with the sewing machine he brought Charlie one year for Christmas. 

Behind the sewing machine, on their couch, sits Charlie. Fingertips swaddled in fabric, little makeshift bandages. He’s adorned with the Scientist’s reading glasses resting on the tip of his nose, a bit lopsided. 

“Charlie…What are you doing?” His voice is slurred, still a little hoarse from sleep, fondness dripping with every word. 

Charlie’s head snaps upward. Wide eyes, alert and not an ounce of exhaustion in them.

“I’m…I’m making a Halloween costume for Pirate.” He points over to the orange tabby resting on top of the coffee table, purring, and tail swishing back and forth.

He speaks it plainly, as a matter of fact, as if finding him up to his neck in patches of fabric and working on a costume for their cat.

He smiles a bit, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement. “Why are you making a costume for Pirate at–” Scientist squints at the clock on the wall, “three in the morning?”

“For Halloween, dude!”

“Right, of course.” The Scientist chuckles. “Why don’t you work on that tomorrow? Come to bed, dear.”

Charlie looks conflicted, eyes flickering back between the Scientist and the sewing machine before he caves, standing up and stretching from sitting hunched over, sewing for too long. He pats the orange feline on the head before he takes the Scientist’s hand, following him back into their bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	70. Charlie Gets Glasses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The scientist sees Charlie wearing glasses for one of his costumes and it is a Very Good Look

The Scientist has seen Charlie in glasses before. 

Charlie has worn  _his_ glasses before, slipping them off the Scientist’s nose when he has been squinting at something for far too long and pushing them onto his own face. 

But the Scientist has never seen him wear glasses like  _these_ before. 

Charlie looked– _handsome_. Tortoiseshell, half-rimmed frames resting upon the bridge on his nose, slipping down as he tucks in one of the Scientist’s shirts into trousers.

The shirt doesn’t fit. Not really. It’s too long in the sleeves, too big around the shoulders, too tight around the middle that makes the button strain with an effort to remain closed.

He’s a little speechless. There are a million questions on the tip of his tongue that are forgotten when Charlie peers up and catches his eye, mouth stretching into a grin.

It takes a moment to find his words. He fumbles, almost caught in a daze, like walking out from a cool, dark room into the warm, blinding sunlight. Charlie smiles, crinkling his eyes, laughter lines lost in a scruffy beard, hints of grey peeking out around his chin. 

The Scientist steps closer, circles him to help tuck the rest of the ill-fitting shirt in, it’s easier to speak once he’s not facing Charlie. “I’m assuming this is for one of your friends’ schemes?” 

Charlie nods, twisting in the Scientist’s arms so he’s facing him once more.

“Frank got me the glasses, whaddya think? Smart looking right?” 

The Scientist smiles, releasing his hold around Charlie’s waist to push the glasses back up after they had slightly slid down Charlie’s nose.

The Scientist hums in agreement, before leaning down and kissing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	71. Charlie And The Scientist Are Not Dating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Maybe something before they got together but the gang thinks they're already dating because Charlie keeps gushing over his scientist

“You know…” Charlie starts, scratching his beard. “I got the perfect person who could help us.”

Before he even gets the entire sentence out, the whole gang is already groaning. 

Charlie peers around at their faces, confused and slightly miffed at the noise he received. “What? What’s that sound for?” 

Dennis rolls his eyes, uncapping the marker in his hands as he turns back to the whiteboard, detailing out their latest scheme. He speaks over his shoulder, “Science Bitch wouldn’t work for this plan and frankly, we’re pressed for time as is, we would have to wait for him to arrive and go through all the steps  again–It’s just not gonna work.”

Charlie drums his fingers against the side of the stool they had dragged into the back office. “Ok, his name isn’t Science Bitch, it’s A–”

“I don’t care.” Dennis cuts him off.

Charlie huffs, he hated when Dennis cut him off like that. “ _And_ I think you’re wrong, dude. He’s really smart like possibly the smartest person I ever met. I really think we could use him for this.”

Mac jerks his head back, an offended noise escaping his mouth, eyebrows furrowing, “Ok but we all know Dennis is the smartest guy in the world. Science Bitch couldn’t even make you smarter, Charlie, he’s pretty dumb.”

“What? No, he’s smart. He explained that experiment to me and–”

“Listen, I don’t care, Charlie, I really don’t.” Dennis points behind him back at the whiteboard, “Can we focus on the plan, everyone? You can defend your boyfriend afterward to whoever. Honestly, I don’t give a shit.”

“M-My boyfriend?” Charlie glances around the room, panicked, “He’s not–We’re not–He’s  _not_ my boyfriend.”

His phone starts ringing, Charlie tugs it out from the pocket of his green jacket and checked the screen. Sure enough, it was The Scientist calling, Charlie immediately relieved because the Scientist can explain to the gang that they’re  _not_ dating. The Scientist can back him up.

Charlie holds up the phone, “Hold up for a minute.” 

Dennis throws his hands up in annoyance, “That’s it. You’re out of the plan. Go talk to your boyfriend.”

“What?” Charlie screeches, “Why am I being kicked out?” 

“Because you’re annoying me and distracting us and ruining the dynamic of the group. We already have a gay guy, we can’t have two otherwise we’re just a gay group.”

“I’m not–Whatever.” Charlie stands abruptly, leaving the back office quickly, slamming the door on his way out. 

He ignores the call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	72. Charlie Questions The Scientist's Existence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Would you write Charlie having a nightmare the scientist was just a figment of his imagination? But of course he's still there in the morning.

There are good things in Charlie’s life. Cheese. The bar. The gang ( _sometimes_ ). His rat stick. Cats. 

But nothing as good as the Scientist. Nothing as pure and wonderful and makes him feel  _safe_.  

Sometimes Charlie wonders if any of it’s real. If he drank too much. If he inhaled too much glue, too many toxins eating away at his brain. That may be all of it was just a drug-fueled hallucination. Worse even if they never really got off that boat, that maybe he’s dead. They’re all dead. It was just a dream. 

Wouldn’t that be cruel? To finally get the happiness and the love he has wanted for all his life only for it to be fake. Just a figment of his imagination. A punishment for all his deeds.

He dreams uneasily, nightmares tearing at his brain, usually, his night terrors strictly star the creature from his childhood–the nightman–but tonight was different. Tonight he was trying to find the Scientist, searching for him but no one knew who he was as if he had disappeared. Never had existed in the first place. His worst fears seeping through his subconscious.

He startles awake. His breath harsh, gasping, chest heaving as he struggles, panics. His hands shot out beside him, reaching for proof, reassurance that the Scientist is real and not something he had made up. 

The Scientist’s body is warm, his chest firm when Charlie’s fingers land on it. He doesn’t open his eyes, but his mouth moves. “Are you alright, darling?” 

Tears well up in Charlie’s eyes, threatening to spill over. Charlie doesn’t answer, just launches his body on top of the Scientist’s burying his face in his neck.

The Scientist wakes at the movement, his words clearer and less slurred with sleep. “Charlie?”

“I’m fine.” Charlie nods, his stubble scratching the Scientist’s throat, still not looking up just yet. “Bad dream.” 

The Scientist wraps his arms around him, holding Charlie close to his chest. Large hands trailing up and down Charlie’s back, comforting, reassuring. The pressure of his hands steadies Charlie, like a weight pressing down against his spine, against his muscles.

It was enough for him to believe that this was real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	73. Charlie Tells The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Have you seen that gifset supporting asexual Charlie? It's amazing and it just got me thinking about Charlie and the scientist and how Charlie knows it's normal to want to have sex with the person you like but he doesn't feel like that yet? So he's like worried he's not normal

“I don’t want to have sex with you.” Charlie blurts out, startling the Scientist at the abrupt noise.

He blinks at Charlie, his dark eyelashes fluttering something like a hummingbird’s wings before the Scientist is reaching out, grabbing the remote from the coffee table and hitting the pause button. 

Charlie glances away, towards the still image on the television, avoiding the Scientist’s gaze. Charlie doesn’t want to face his reaction just yet. He doesn’t know why he said anything. He hadn’t meant to, it just came pouring out of him, bubbling to the surface like molten lava. 

But tonight had felt different than other times he’s spent with the Scientist. This was the first night he’s been invited to the Scientist’s apartment  _to spend the night._ The Scientist had invited him over to watch movies, but Charlie’s hyperaware of the Scientist’s proximity, he’s sitting close, close enough that their thighs are touching. That there are goosebumps prickling Charlie’s arms. 

And he knows where this might lead to, he knows that a part of him, maybe his entire self should want this.  _Should._

But he doesn’t. 

There’s something wrong with him. He knows that. He doesn’t crave sex the way the rest of the gang does. He’s doesn’t want it. It’s… _gross_. 

“Alright.” 

It’s spoken simply, entirely unfazed, which has Charlie’s head spinning. He twists sharply, directly facing the Scientist because he doesn’t expect  _that_.

“Alright? What do you mean alright? It’s–I know it’s not  _normal._ I like you–a lot–and I should want to have sex with you, but I just–”

The Scientist reaches out, taking Charlie’s hand with his own, giving it a quick squeeze, one of reassurance. 

“Charlie.” 

Charlie goes completely silent.

“There’s nothing wrong with you.”

He shifts in his seat–or rather–squirms uncomfortably because he  _knows_ there’s something off with him when it comes to sex and intimacy. But the Scientist wouldn’t lie to him. So maybe–

“There are things I expect from our relationship.” The Scientist continues. His thumb stroking Charlie’s hand he holds so delicately, running over the knuckles. “Trust. Respect. Honesty. Sex is not one of them.”

“But–”, Charlie struggles to find his words, “Don’t you–Don’t you want to?”

The Scientist’s ducks his head, but Charlie doesn’t miss the rosy pink coloring his cheeks, and Charlie can see the tips of his ears are also the same color. “I–Yes–I do–However, I don’t want to have sex with you if you don’t want to.”

“Oh…”

For days, weeks, since they started this–dating–Charlie has had this weight on his chest, waiting for the inevitable to come that the Scientist would leave because Charlie doesn’t want him like  _that._ But finally, it’s like that weight has been lifted, no longer crushing his chest.

“I might change my mind.”

“That’s ok.”

“I might not.”

The Scientist smiles, repeats, “That’s ok.”

Charlie hums thoughtfully, eyeing the little space between them. “Can we cuddle?”

“Always, darling.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	74. Charlie Find Out About Bert And Ernie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you write Charlie getting very excited about the news one of the Sesame Street writers based Bert and Ernie off him and his boyfriend so therefore it's canon they're gay?

A lot of things has changed since Charlie has met the Scientist. 

Charlie learns a lot about himself since he started dating the Scientist. He didn’t get smarter, at least not from a magic pill, not from a placebo. Discovers that he’s not dumb–no–he just learns a little bit differently than everyone else. He learns that he has dyslexia, that he  _is_  capable of reading, that he really enjoys reading when before it made his stomach turn into knots at the thought of trying to get through a sentence.

Now, he sits on  _their_ sofa in  _their_ apartment which was the Scientist’s apartment first before Charlie moved in (or flat–that’s how the Scientist refers to it in his crisp accent.) with the Scientist’s tablet (although it seems to have become  _their_ tablet, font customize so Charlie can read easier.) in his lap, scrolling through when he stumbles upon an article.

He scrambles to their bedroom where the Scientist still sleeps. Charlie learns that the Scientist really likes sleeping, that it takes a while for him to wake. He’s lying on his stomach, the pale span of his back standing out beneath the covers, head twisted to the side with his cheek squished against the pillows. 

Charlie knows how to wake him, he runs his fingers down the slope of the Scientist’s back, tracing vertebra in his path. He repeats his hand movements, leaning down to whisper his name and kiss the shell of his ear.

The Scientist wakes slowly, in a series of steps that Charlie has grown accustomed to. First, he’ll grumble, voice rough with sleep, eyes still closed. Second, he’ll blink slowly as if he’s fighting sleep like something from his dreams is trying to drag him back to slumber. It wins most of the time, he keeps his eyes shut and yawns widely and mumbles. 

“Charlie..I’m sleeping.” 

Charlie wants to smile at his stubbornness, his defiance to wake up. 

“I know, I know but I need you to look at something.” 

The Scientist blinks open one of his eyes, sees the tablet in his hands and closes his eyes again. “You know I need my reading glasses. Read it to me.”

“Promise not to fall asleep.”

“Promise.”

Charlie waits before he starts, peeking at him with squinted eyes to make sure he did, in fact, stay awake. 

“Go on, I’m listening.” The Scientist assures him.

“Bert and Ernie–Wait do you know who Bert and Ernie are? Did you have that in England?” 

“I’m familiar.” 

Charlie’s hazel eyes flicker back down onto the tablet, reading (slowly, it’s still a work in progress) about what he discovered. Excitement creeping up in his voice as he continues, “They were based on the writer’s relationship with his boyfriend.”

“Oh?”

“So Bert and Ernie are gay!” 

“Hmm, that does seem to confirm it.” The Scientist’s voice is muffled, mouth pressed against the pillow.  “Why are you so eager about this?”

Charlie pinkens, shrugs his shoulders, and somehow the Scientist with his face half turned into the pillows and eyes seemingly shut can sense his discomfort. 

“Enthusiasm isn’t a bad thing, Charlie. I was merely curious.” 

He relaxes some, “It was a show I’d used to watch as a kid, when Mom was too busy or out to pay attention and–I don’t know–it just made me think of us.”

“We don’t bicker nearly as much as Bert and Ernie does.” The Scientist argues but Charlie can see the corner of his mouth pulling into a sleepy smile.

“ _well_ –”

“Oh quiet you, I’m trying to sleep.” 

Charlie sometimes forget how fast the Scientist’s reflexes are, his arm snaps out in a blur, tugging Charlie into the bed with him. Charlie screeches, laughing as the Scientist pulls him into his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	75. Charlie's Home Alone (And The Worried Scientist)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hey! If you’re still taking requests for charbitch prompts could you write one about the scientist fretting over and taking care of Charlie when he gets hurt (maybe like doting on Charlie after the events of Charlie’s home alone?)

The Scientist hadn’t been angry on the drive to the hospital despite the white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. He wasn’t upset when he received the call from Charlie–he sounded so happy when he first answered the phone–pleased that Charlie had called him. The familiar warm greeting he always gave had quickly transformed into pure alarm and panic when Charlie slurred, “Hey, I think I might need some help.”

_“Charlie, what’s wrong?! Are you alright?!”  
_

He still wasn’t angry when he found Charlie nearly passed out on the sticky, filthy floor of Paddy’s. Charlie couldn’t be too certain though, everything was  _so_ blurry, and his vision was pretty spotty–going in and out–blackness curling around the edges. 

But from what he could see, the Scientist’s face was pale, color completely drained from his face. He looked utterly horrified finding Charlie in that state. He was completely shaken when he got Charlie’s leg out of the bear’s trap (Charlie had to walk him through it. “Charlie, I don’t think I can do this–” 

“What?” Charlie mumbled, “You can do anything, Doc. You got this. Plus I already did it once so–” 

“ _Excuse me?!_   What do you mean already?”

He screamed when Charlie passed out again.)

He  _was_ angry when he found out why Charlie was in the shape that he was in. Disgusted when he found out about the rat. Irate when he discovers the reason why Charlie had gotten his leg stuck in the bear’s trap the  _second_ time. That he had done it on purpose that time. The Scientist paces around the small hospital room, crossing the floor in quick strides before swiveling around and doing it once more.

“All of this for a bloody soccer match?! Charlie, what were you thinking?!” 

Charlie smiles wanly, the Scientist always call it that. He corrects him, a bit exasperatedly but more fondly than anything else, “It’s called football here, Doc.”

“Is  _that_ what you’re focusing on right now?” 

Charlie squints, trying not to squirm because moving meant pain–he couldn’t have the good stuff that the hospital usually gives–all narcotic free. “I know you’re angry with me, but could this wait when I’m not in crazy amounts of pain.”

The Scientist quickly deflates them, all the anger rushing out of him at once. He drags the chair closer to the bed, settling in it before taking Charlie’s hand.  _Oh._ Charlie’s still not entirely used to this just yet, how warm the Scientist’s hand feels, how soft, how affectionate he is. 

“Are you hurting, darling? He reaches out with his free hand, brushing his hair away from his forehead, tucking it back in place. 

Charlie couldn’t quite speak, still too overwhelmed by the Scientist’s touch to say anything just yet, so he nods instead.

“Do you need me to call a nurse, perhaps they could increase the dosage or give you something stronger?”

“No–No–,” Charlie shakes his head. It’s better that he doesn’t get anything that might ruin his sober streak. “I’m fine, but…I could use something…”

“What is it, love? Anything you need.” 

Charlie tilts his head to the side, gazing up at the Scientist, swiping his tongue over his lips. “I could use a kiss, think it might make me feel a lot better.”

That does it–melts the frown the Scientist’s had been sporting most of the day into a tender smile.  “Is that so?”

Charlie nods, all serious, raising his arm to his mouth, tapping on it with a finger. He winces at the pinch of the IV in his arm and the Scientist quickly lowers his arm back down to his side.

“As much as I’d love to kiss you, I know where that’s mouth has been or rather what’s been  _inside_ your mouth.”

Charlie starts to pout, opening his mouth to argue that he’s brushed his teeth since he ate the rodent, but the Scientist shifts forward, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead instead. Charlie goes quiet immediately, cheeks pinkening as the Scientist leans away.

“Can you do that again?”

The Scientist doesn’t hesitate this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask


	76. The Scientist Finds Out About The Nightman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The first time the Scientist met the nightman, his confusion and realization.
> 
> Warnings: Implied Past Childhood Sexual Abuse.

The Scientist is aware of the Nightman. The mysterious creature that haunts Charlie dreams. That has Charlie shooting up from their bed, panting and gasping and trembling from night terrors 

Charlie doesn’t like being touched, not from his friends, not from him sometimes, especially not on those evenings.

He flees to the bathroom and locks the door. The Scientist learns eventually there are some wounds he can’t fix, not with science, not with some cuddles. So he sits outside the door and waits, listens to the soft sobs Charlie chokes out. Feeling helpless and useless. He wants to open the door, to take Charlie in his arms and wipe away his tears. But he can’t. He knows it’s better to give Charlie his space.

He has suspicions, but he never dares to ask Charlie about them, to confirm them. It’s not his place to force that conversation. No. It’s Charlie’s decision whether or not he wishes to discuss the matter with the Scientist. 

The decision shouldn’t be taken from Charlie and made for him. Charlie deserves  _that_ much.

He figures it out.

He doesn’t even mean to. It feels wrong for his brain to put the pieces together before Charlie gets the chance to confide in him.

There’s something wrong with Jack Kelly. The Scientist is uncomfortable the second he lays his eyes on the smaller man with his beady eyes and greasy smile. The soft-spoken voice should make him feel at ease but it doesn’t, in fact, just makes him ill to his stomach.

It’s obvious there’s something wrong. Something that’s been ignored, something pushed under the rug, under the floorboards of the Kelly household. He sees it in Charlie’s shoulders, the underlying tension causing them to hitch further up until they’re around his ears. How adverse he is of touch, even more so adamant when it comes to Uncle Jack doing the touching.

He uses every opportunity despite Charlie slapping his hands away, despite Charlie piercing glares, and voicing his objections. 

Uncle Jack doesn’t listen and the Scientist fears that this isn’t the first time he didn’t listen to Charlie when he begged him to stop.

So he stands a little closer to Charlie, stands in the way to block Jack Kelly’s reach. Charlie doesn’t want to be touched and the Scientist won’t let his Uncle lay another finger on Charlie, not anymore.

Charlie notices with a grateful glance, something akin to wonder as if no one has done this for him–protected him from this man’s touch. Jack notices, his smiles turning more forceful. The only oblivious one is Charlie’s mother who doesn’t seem to notice the obvious tension 

They cut their visit early.

He doesn’t speak, just sits in the front seat, gripping the steering wheel as he waits for Charlie to settle in the passenger seat, buckling his seatbelt with shaky hands. 

“Charlie…” 

“T–Thank you.” Charlie interrupts, voice barely above a whisper. He doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t elaborate on why he’s thanking him.

“You don’t have to thank me for something people should have already been doing a long time ago.”

He keeps his head duck, picking at his nails. “So…You…You know?” 

“I’m sorry, Charlie.”

Charlie goes quiet for a few moments before he’s choking back sobs, sealing his lips shut in order to silence the noise. 

“Oh, Charlie,” The Scientist hesitates, hand hovering between them. “Can I touch you?” 

Charlie nods quickly and the Scientist reaches over, hitting the button of the seatbelt with a click and in a flash Charlie’s climbing over the console and throwing himself into the Scientist’s arms. The Scientist’s reflexes are quick, hitting the button under the seat, lowering the seat backward. 

Charlie curls inward against his chest, tears splashing against the Scientist’s neck as he cries, burying his face into his shoulder.

The Scientist keeps holding him even after the tears dry up, keeps rubbing along his spine as Charlie hiccups, whispers apologies that are long overdue, on behalf of everyone who allowed this to happen, ignored it and allowed it to continue.

“Can we go home?” Charlie sniffles.

“Of course, dear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask OR leave a prompt in the comments below !!!!!


	77. Charlie And The Scientist Goes To The Farmer Market

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Charlie and the scientist go on an adventure to the farmers market to get Charlie fruits and vegetables he has never tried.

Charlie’s uncertain when the Scientist announces the plans for the day one morning while they’re still laying in bed together, the morning sun shining through the blinds, caressing their bodies in slithers of warmth. 

They’re going to the farmers market. 

Charlie’s not a farmer. He doesn’t know squat about farming and he’s certain that the Scientist doesn’t either (the Scientist’s a genius though, so maybe he does know, at least more than Charlie does.) He tells him so and the Scientist laughs, the loud sort of bark that rings in Charlie’s ears it’s not unpleasant, far from it. Charlie likes it. It makes his belly warm and his skin tingle. He grins at the noise (tugs the Scientist’ hands away when he covers his mouth afterward–something he does every time he laughs).

“No, Charlie.” His wide mouth stretching into the smile and Charlie gets distracted for a moment. He thinks the Scientist is meant to be smiling all the time. His mouth was created for it.

“They sell their produce there so people can buy it. Think of it as an adventure, darling. New things to try.” 

Charlie thinks that he’d go anywhere the Scientist wanted him to if he kept calling him that. 

The farmers market is a little crowded with people, with wooden crates filled with all kinds of vegetables and fruits Charlie’s never tried before. Homemade trinkets here and there.

“I’ve been to the Italian market,” Charlie tells him, following him along closely while the Scientist gazes about the stands, focus on the fruits before him. He talks about the almost trip to the Grand Canyon, how he tried a pear for the first time sticker and core and all

The Scientist looks slightly alarmed at that, turning away from the fruits and looking at Charlie with concern, but he doesn’t voice any worries or disgust about eating stickers, “Would you like to go to the Grand Canyon?” 

“Uh, don’t know.” Charlie shrugs, some strawberries catching his attention. “Not a big fan of leaving Philly.” 

The Scientist hums softly, “I know. Have you tried strawberries before, Charlie?”

Charlie shakes his head and the Scientist purchases a small container. 

When they get home, the Scientist spreads out the recently bought fruit over their kitchen table after rinsing them off. He peers up at Charlie with an unrestrained smile, drumming his long fingers against the edge of the table, clearly excited. 

“What would you like first?” 

“Uh…Strawberries?” 

“Excellent choice, one of my favorites.” The Scientist pops the container with a small click before picking over a few for a bigger one. He holds it out for Charlie to take, but Charlie leans forward until the fruit bumps against his lips and takes a bite of the strawberry.

“Oh!”  The Scientist squeaks out, a blush rapidly spreading across his cheeks.

Charlie chews, considering the sweet taste, and finds he quite enjoys it. The Scientist is still blushing, still standing frozen with his arm stretched out clasping the strawberry between his fingers when Charlie grabs his wrist, guiding the fruit towards his mouth again.

_“Charlie._ ” The Scientist says all scandalized, while Charlie takes another bite, smiling innocently. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask OR leave a prompt in the comments below !!!!!


	78. The Scientist Tells Charlie He Loves Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: things you said when you thought i was asleep

The Scientist was drunk.

Not entirely drunk. Just tipsy enough for the Scientist to loosen up some, to shake that polite rigidness from his spine. Charlie’s not drinking as much as he is, merely stealing a few sips of the Scientist’s beer, tipping the bottle up, pressing it against his mouth. They drink enough to cling shamelessly onto the other at the bar in front of Charlie’s friends, to sneak kisses even when they were looking.

The faint taste of beer lingers on Charlie’s mouth, the Scientist probably tastes like it too, neither one seems to mind though. The Scientist continues to drink. Continues to press light kisses against Charlie’s mouth. Charlie’s beard scratches against his jaw, he kisses that too.

They leave early after an uber arrives to take them back to the Scientist’s apartment (that took some convincing. Charlie had offered to just steal Dee’s car to drive them back but the Scientist flat out refused and his apartment was too far to walk.) holding hands in the backseat. Scientist peers out the windows, watching the passing lights from streetlamps as they drove by, reminiscing on the evening shared.

He usually avoided Charlie’s friends if he could help it, tonight had been different. Tonight had been wonderful. He had actually enjoyed himself, mainly because of Charlie’s presence, but he was happy. Happier than he had been in a long time, he realized, and this sort of happiness coming from this strange man had been entirely unexpected. Never had he expected one failed experiment could bring him so much joy.

His chest feels light, he, himself feels weightless as he comes to a startling realization. He tilts sideways (perhaps he drunk more than he had thought) and discovers that Charlie had fallen asleep beside him. His dark hair messy and squished as he rests his head against the window, seemingly not minding the bumps in the roads, his thick fingers still intertwined with the Scientist.

“I am falling in love with you.” The Scientist murmurs. Quietly so the driver doesn’t hear and neither does the sleeping man beside him.

Charlie’s face breaks out into a wide smile, one of his eyes opens suddenly and the Scientist jerks back against the seat.

“You love me?”

The Scientist flushes. Skin feeling warm–something he couldn’t blame on the alcohol–ears burning. Perhaps he had spoken louder than he intended, perhaps he had awoken Charlie, even worse perhaps the driver had heard his earlier declaration. “I–uh–I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t.” Charlie tightens his grip, squeezing the Scientist’s hand as he repeats, “You said you love me.”

“I–yes, yes I did…Wait, how long have you been awake?”

“The whole time.” Charlie smiles brightly, without batting an eye. He scoots closer, pressing himself against the Scientist, tipping his head back to gaze up at him,  “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to send me a charbitch prompt: http://newts-geiszler.tumblr.com/ask OR comment below with a request!!!


	79. The Scientist Misses Charlie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: the scientist is tired after a long day at the lab... comes back home to destress by cuddling his chubby bf...

There’s a hole in Charlie’s sock. A hint of skin peeking out, his big toe poking through the long white socks.

The Scientist’s mouth tugs at the corner despite the tiresome day he had at the university. Too many demanding phone calls about his research expecting some results. Too many piles of ungraded tests accumulating on his desk. Too many students knocking on his office door. Too many late nights. Too many deadlines looming close.

The Scientist was ragged. Exhausted. There’s dark shadows under his eyes which wasn’t from any makeup (Charlie was quite fond of painting the Scientist with makeup–always a little too generous with applying the eyeshadow onto his eyes, sweeping it underneath his bottom lashes–or sometimes even with body paint–the Scientist has spent hours beneath Charlie, lying completely still as Charlie hovered above him gently stroking over his skin with paint brushes).

Despite the exhaustion and his stiff, aching joints, the Scientist still could muster up a soft smile at the sight of his boyfriend sprawled out along their sofa. A soft pang of fondness spreads, flooding his chest with warmth. This was what made the bad days worthwhile, the fact he can come home to this sight–not arriving to an empty apartment anymore.

The Scientist toes off his shoes, smiles at the matching hole in his sock, before carefully slipping into their bedroom, walking on his tiptoes to avoid rousing Charlie from his sleep. He returns to the living room once he changed out of his work clothes, replacing the stiff button-up for one of Charlie’s soft shirts and a pair of grey sweatpants.

One of Charlie’s leg dangles over the arm of the couch while the other hangs off the side, the sole of his foot planted against the carpeted floor. His hair is disheveled–nothing unusual for the janitor–mouth slacked and hanging open, a dribble of drool trailing from his lips to his chin.

The Scientist eye’s trails over him–from the arm tossed over his forehead, the tight sleeves around freckly biceps down to the holey shirt (Charlie refuses to part with the threadbare horse shirt) hiked up a little around his waist, revealing soft skin that spills over his long thermal underwear.

The Scientist places a palm against his knee, gently shaking it, stirring the younger man awake. He hates to disturb Charlie from his nap, but the Scientist wants to join him (The Scientist has proclaimed before that cuddling is a necessity after arduous workdays

“A necessity, huh?” Charlie echos. A grin forming as he considers this.

The Scientist nods, burying his nose right against where Charlie’s shirt slips off his shoulder, revealing a freckled-covered clavicle, deeply inhaling the faint coconut scent of soap that lingered from Charlie’s last shower from that morning. He murmurs very seriously against Charlie’s skin, kissing it between every other word, hearing Charlie quick inhale and giggle, “Yes. A quite important way to unwind from a long day, cuddling my extremely handsome boyfriend. All supported by science, of course.”)

“Doc?” Charlie question, voice still raspy from sleep. He yawns loudly, stretching his arms over his head, causing his shirt to hike up further up his stomach. His mouth breaks out into a sleepy grin, “I was waiting up for you.”

“Really?” The Scientist smiles, “It looks like you were sleeping.”

“Oh no. I wasn’t.”

The Scientist hums thoughtfully. “Mind if I join you?”

Charlie scoots backward, pressing himself against flat the couch to give the Scientist room. Its a tight squeeze for them to both fit but neither one particularly minds. Their legs tangle, Charlie’s body shifts as soon as the Scientist settles, leaning more on top of the Scientist than beside him, pushing himself into the Scientist’s arms.

He sighs, tension and stresses leftover from his work immediately drains as soon as he hides his face in Charlie’s messy hair, breathing in softly. His hair tickles his nose but the Scientist ignores this.

“Feel better?”

“Immensely.” The Scientist mumbles, slipping his hands under Charlie’s shirt, feeling the warmth that seems to radiate from his skin, lightly squeezing his soft sides that always make Charlie blush and squirm.

Charlie squeaks–a noise the Scientist comes to expect whenever he admires Charlie’s softness–but leans into the touch.

“Bad day?”

The Scientist shuts his eyes, wordlessly nods. Their breathing falls in sync, chest lifting and sinking as silence saturate the room.

“I missed you.”

He doesn’t have to open his eyes to know that Charlie’s smiling at the sentiment, he can tell by the weight of Charlie’s mouth pressed against his chest, the slight movement. By the way, Charlie’s fingers tighten, clutching at his shirt.

Charlie’s voice is muffled, “I missed you too.”

The Scientist gently kisses the top of Charlie’s head.


End file.
